[garret]

Originally Posted by George

Not to mention that Northern Hemisphere stars cannot be seen from this Island-Country-Continent of Australia.

some can on the horizon edge of the nights sky - obviously polaris is useless as a direction guide down here instead we use the southern cross (crux australis) which gives a south bearing by following the point of the cross

Crux - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

try this to see what the southern constellations look like

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/lin...ellations.html

[AlpineZone]

I just went through the whole thing it was really informative, easy to use and a definite way to understand the basics of the night sky. Good link RR!

[TaintRight]

Celestial navigation (using a sextant) is a pretty difficult trick, particularly on a heaving deck. I took a course one time to learn how to do it. Closest I ever came to getting it right was concluding I was in Portland, Ore when in fact my boat was tied to a floating dock in San Francisco Bay. But I learned the theory of it.

I thought I had a leg up because the constellations and the planets are my old pals. I have been messing with telescopes for so long that I can glance about and call the heavenly bodies by name if they are out. Drunk friends sometimes call me to ask what that bright light is that's following them down the highway. I tell them its either Venus or a State Trooper.

Interstingly, 9 of 10 people who go out for an evening with me and my telescopes cannot point to the north star. Here its a faint dot. Not the glaring beckon they assume it will be. These same people also tend to mistake the Pleiades for the little dipper. And most mistake Orion for the Big Dipper. I have had a lot of people claim I was pulling their leg when I point out Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. Its odd that a lot of people think you have to look through a telescope to see them. You don't. They are among the brighter objects up there.

Once you learn how to identify Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter, you can find the cardinal points fairly easily.. These planets line up on an east west line that overlaps the track taken by the sun and moon. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. So do they.

With a little practice you can figure exactly what direction you are facing with a quick glance up at the sky. My point? Learn to place the constellations, planets and brighter stars in the night sky. They won't let you down. You'll always have a grip on which way "South" is.

[Foxfire]

Learn: Identify constellations, stars, planets and how to navigate at night

[novazer0]

Originally Posted by WoodsCustom

Never fear MEN!!!

WoodsCustom has the answer.

If there are no stars out where you are from or its cloudy. Use your compass or wait until sun up. It "USUALLY" comes up in the East.

If it comes up in the West, Just take another shot of your Mushroom juice and try again tomorrow.

WoodsCustom

LOL but if you really had a compass would you need the star to find your way... LOL

[novazer0]

that was a really good link. thank you for it!

[bandel4]

Originally Posted by Roadracer

Learn: Identify constellations, stars, planets and how to navigate at night


This is a great site that teaches you to Identify constellations, stars, planets and how to navigate at night.

Brilliant! Simply brilliant!
Thank you so much for that!

[Screaming Eagle]

I've never been able to get that link to come up. What's the deal? Is their server cantankerous?

[crashdive123]

The link works for me.

[kevin]

Originally Posted by Screaming Eagle

I've never been able to get that link to come up. What's the deal? Is their server cantankerous?

diddo, just tried and no luck for me. I guess some of us are just meant to stay inside and cry at night