The Southern Cross – also referred to as Crux – is an iconic constellation for folks south of the equator. It’s seen each clear night time, and its stars shine brightly sufficient to be picked out fairly simply even from city places.
When you’re within the Northern Hemisphere, you can also see the well-known Southern Cross. You simply have to be far sufficient south, and know the place and when to look.
The place are you able to see the Southern Cross?
At 35 degrees south latitude and all latitudes farther south, you may see the Southern Cross all night time, all 12 months spherical. In that a part of the Southern Hemisphere, the Southern Cross is circumpolar: it’s all the time above the horizon, because it circles the sky near the celestial pole.
Nonetheless, for a lot of the Northern Hemisphere – together with a lot of the United States – the Southern Cross can by no means be seen. It by no means rises above the horizon.
You’ll be able to see see all of Crux from the U.S. state of Hawaii. Within the contiguous U.S., it’s worthwhile to be in southern Florida or Texas (about 26 degrees north latitude or farther south). Even from the far-southern contiguous U.S., you could have a restricted viewing window for catching the Southern Cross. It must be the fitting season of the 12 months. It must be the fitting time of night time. And it’s a must to look in the fitting route: south!
When to look?
For the Northern Hemisphere’s tropical and subtropical areas, Could is an effective time to search out Crux within the night sky. It’s seen in different months, however not at such a handy time. In March, it’s a must to wait till about 1 a.m. to catch the Southern Cross at its highest elevation. In December and January, it’s a must to catch it earlier than daybreak.
Irrespective of the hour or date, Crux climbs to its highest level within the sky when it’s due south. The Cross is pretty simple to visualise, as a result of it stands upright over the horizon.
Use the Large Dipper as a information.
Though the Big Dipper is a fixture of Northern Hemisphere skies, it has an in depth kinship with the Southern Cross. The Large Dipper and the Southern Cross are highest within the sky on the similar time of 12 months.
Keep in mind, spring up and fall down: the Large Dipper soars highest within the sky in the course of the Northern Hemisphere’s spring. When the Large Dipper is seen above Polaris, the North Star, the Southern Cross could be seen standing over the southern horizon in Texas and southern Florida.
Within the Southern Hemisphere it really works the identical approach, simply in reverse. The Large Dipper could be seen within the Southern Hemisphere from about 26 degrees south latitude and all latitudes farther north. However to identify it, it must be the fitting season and the fitting time of night time. When the Southern Cross sails highest within the Southern Hemisphere sky, the “upside-down” Large Dipper is seen simply above the northern horizon at latitudes close to the tropic of Capricorn (23.5 levels south latitude).
The Southern Cross in navigation.
When European sailors journeyed south of the equator, they discovered that the North Star had disappeared beneath the horizon. As they sailed even farther south, the Big Dipper dropped out of sight as properly. Not like the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere has no brilliant pole star to spotlight the celestial pole. Happily, the Southern Cross acts as a navigational support.
There are numerous methods to search out the route due south utilizing the Southern Cross as a information. For instance, a line drawn from the star Gacrux by means of the star Acrux factors within the common route of the south celestial pole (the purpose within the sky instantly above Earth’s south pole). Discover more ways to locate south using the Southern Cross.
Backside line: The Southern Cross can be seen from the Northern Hemisphere, so long as you’re beneath 26 levels north and know when and the place to look!
