How do i find alpha centauri in relation to the big dipper?

[BoJangles]

<p>How do i find alpha centauri in relation to the big dipper?</p><p>Ie southern hemisphere?</p><p>---</p><p>Oops wrong thread :/</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#808080">-------------- </font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>Let me start out with the standard disclaimer ... I am an idiot, I know almost nothing, I haven’t taken calculus, I don’t work for NASA, and I am one-quarter Bulgarian sheep dog.  With that out of the way, I have several stupid questions... </em></font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>*** A few months blogging can save a few hours in research ***</em></font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>How do i find alpha centauri in relation to the big dipper?Ie southern hemisphere?---Oops wrong thread :/ <br />Posted by BoJangles</DIV><br /><br />Well, if you can see the big dipper, there's a chance you can never see alpha Centauri. It's quite far south.</p><p>&nbsp;It's at Declination -61 degrees, lower than the Southern Cross.</p><p>It just peeks above the southern horizon in&nbsp;southern Florida, southern Texas, and Hawaii&nbsp;at 5 AM this time of year.</p><p>Using the Big Dipper, you would use the pointer stars at the end of the Bowl of the Big Dipper to find the North Star. Face it, then do a precise 180 degree about face. Don't bother if you are north of 29 degrees latitude, since it never clear the horizon.</p><p>The easiest way to find it in facing the south is to find Scorpio. Look at the stars to the right of Antares (the brisght red star) that form the claws of the scorpion and make a stright line pointing down and to the right&nbsp;with them. a-Cen will be 30 degrees below Antares along that line.</p><p>Again, though, unless you are in Southern Texas or Southern Florida, don't bother </p><p>It is about 0 magnitude, a half mag brighter than beta Cetauri right next to it.</p><p>I'm going to move this thread to Ask the Astronomer, I think that's where you meant to put it </p><p>MW</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[BoJangles]

<p>thanks MW, maybe we see another big dipper or something in the southern hemisphere? we definitely see the southern cross.</p><p><strong>Gold Coast, 27.9152&deg;S, 153.3857&deg;E</strong></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#808080">-------------- </font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>Let me start out with the standard disclaimer ... I am an idiot, I know almost nothing, I haven’t taken calculus, I don’t work for NASA, and I am one-quarter Bulgarian sheep dog.  With that out of the way, I have several stupid questions... </em></font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>*** A few months blogging can save a few hours in research ***</em></font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>thanks MW, maybe we see another big dipper or something in the southern hemisphere? we definitely see the southern cross.Gold Coast, 27.9152&deg;S, 153.3857&deg;E <br />Posted by BoJangles</DIV><br /><br />Aha, I had no idea you were that far south! Alpha and beta Centauri are very close to the southern cross. Let my punch in your location and see if I can describe it for you.</p><p>OK, beta and alpha Centauri are the two bright stars right below the Southern Cross. beta is the closest, slighly dimmer one, and alpha is the lower, slightly brighter one.</p><p>The Big Dipper (Ursa Major) occasionally just peeks over your northern horizon, due north at around 2 AM this time of year.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[BoJangles]

Thanks MW great help once again <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#808080">-------------- </font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>Let me start out with the standard disclaimer ... I am an idiot, I know almost nothing, I haven’t taken calculus, I don’t work for NASA, and I am one-quarter Bulgarian sheep dog.  With that out of the way, I have several stupid questions... </em></font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>*** A few months blogging can save a few hours in research ***</em></font></p> </div>