Northern Vs Southern Hemisphere.

[toryglen-boy (Duncan)]

After moving to Australia at the grand old age of 36, i can confirm the following :

Both are different, but just as interesting.

I have loads of experience with the NH, and i can tell you its pretty kewl, the winter has some great views (with Orion being the right way up, in a dignified manner) and there are some nice things to see, the Perseus double cluster, M31, M15, The Crab Nebula, the Ring Nebula etc, although i know you can see some of these from here, in the height of summer you can see some of the Sagittarious region, although only from the south of England, not Scotland, and from Glasgow, i have only ever seen Antares twice really close to the horizon. Although i have some great memories of seeing the Northern Lights several times from Scotland, specially from a night spent near Glencoe, in the Highlands.

The SH, well where do i start !! ... quite frankly, i dont know, and i am hoping to get some guidance on this, as it does genuinely seem harder to get to know my way around, that said, even through my modest "grab and go scope" (an 80mm F11 refractor) the overhead view is stunning, the 32mm eyepeice was rammed with stars and objects, and things that i didnt know what they where, and quite frankly, took my breath away.

so, both are very different, although equally as good.

[erick (Eric)]

The Northern Lights! That's my dream. I have two ambitions left in life - To see the Northern Lights in all there splendour from Scotland and to get close to a large Blue Whale!


OK, and to see a few more things in the sky at night!

[toryglen-boy (Duncan)]

Originally Posted by erick

The Northern Lights! That's my dream. I have two ambitions left in life - To see the Northern Lights in all there splendour from Scotland and to get close to a large Blue Whale!


OK, and to see a few more things in the sky at night!

well, lucky for me, from Scotland i have seen them several times, sitting outside, wrapped up, with a bottle of Glenmorangie

oh...

and my ex girlfriend was rather big, and cold outside, so thats that covered.

[MrB (Simon)]

I would love to see the NL too, and hear them hum.

[Glenn Dawes]

Originally Posted by MrB

I would love to see the NL too, and hear them hum.

Hi guys,

This isn't the first time I've heard people wishing to see the Northern Lights. The reality is they shouldn't be any better than the Southern Lights - remember it takes two poles to make a magnet, and why should the north get preference? I think you might find its because the UK and Europe in general are further north and closer to the magnetic pole (being further north also means they see less of the southern stars - too large a sacrifice if you ask me!)

I have seen some great pictures of aurorae taken in the south - mostly from Tasmania and New Zealand. The descriptions of the phenomena, such as shifting curtains, that went with them were pretty impressive as well.

Regards

Glenn

[erick (Eric)]

It's not as convenient to get close, south of the equator. Hence the preference for North.

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi toryglen boy

I lived just out of Glasgow at Houston for 2 1/2 years back in the mid seventies and I can't remember ever looking at the stars. Although I think I saw the Northern Lights a couple of times. In fact I did not even have a pair of binocculars let alone a telescope. Don't blame the weather. There was as much clear fine weather there as we have in Sydney

In those days my hobby was Ham radio GM8LQR and played golf in the rest of my spare time. My work was easy and generally only took about an hour a day so I had plenty of spare time to pursue other interests.

Barry

[toryglen-boy (Duncan)]

Originally Posted by erick

It's not as convenient to get close, south of the equator. Hence the preference for North.

yeah, i just had a spell of online research, they are easier to see in the north, only due to a closer landmass location to the pole, they can be seen in the south, but i guess it requires more effort, such as a boat in the middle of nowhere !!

At any rate, i am sure its just as beautiful in the south.

[MrB (Simon)]

Originally Posted by erick

It's not as convenient to get close, south of the equator. Hence the preference for North. http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/....es/happy19.gif

Echo that, plus it'd be a great chance to see Scotland, and catch up with my brother.

Actually, I have seen the SL from right here in Perth, probably around '88 or '89.
Though I was young and didn't really care about being woken up by mum at 2 or 3 in the morning to look at a red patch in the sky, so my memory of it is as hazy as the red patch was.

[erick (Eric)]

Sometimes we get a bit lucky from mainland Australia (and Tassie!)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...orama_edit.jpg

But I haven't seen it yet and really want to see it swirling over my head and not on the horizon.

(I think this all still fits in the title of the thread - except the bit about whales - who brought that up )

ps. who can identify the stars in this image???????

[Smirnoff]

^^ that's crux in the centre just above the tree, the bright star smack bang on the horizon between the 2 trees on the left is Canopus.

[Rob_K]

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

^^ that's crux in the centre just above the tree, the bright star smack bang on the horizon between the 2 trees on the left is Canopus.

You can see Omega Centauri to the left of the twiggy bush too!

N v S - never been to the NH so it would be a big call, LOL! There's lots of northern objects I'd like to see, or see better! Imagine the Andromeda Galaxy overhead!! But all in all, I love the Milky Way arching overhead and wouldn't want to trade that for anything!

Cheers -

[glenc (Glen)]

On 30/9/98 I saw a very bright aurora from Little Fort in B.C. Canada. The reflection in the North Thompson River was great too.
I had to stay near the car because there were bears around.

[erick (Eric)]

Thanks for the ID on the stars - I couldn't work them out - a bit poor of me!

[prokyon (Werner Probst)]

Hi,

very interesting thread!
I am a guy from the northern hemisphere at +47°. I have never seen the wonderful objects of the southern sky. I am dreaming of the MCs and Omega Centauri...and I wanna see the sagittarius constellation high in the sky.

My favorite objects of the northern sky are: M31 (Andromeda Galaxy), M13, M57 (Ring Nebula), M27 (Dumbell Nebula), Cirrus Nebula, h+chi in Perseus, Whirlpool Galaxy in Ursa Major, Galaxies in Coma Berenices....and many more. It depends on the conditions and the equipement.

It would be wonderful for me to be at a star party in Australia. So many objects I have never seen before and....I would not know all the constellations. This would be very exciting!

cheers

werner

postcard from the north, Ursa Major is circumpolar
http://www.prokyon.startime.at/Bilde...Farben_neu.jpg
(do you saý big dipper?)

[fragchamp]

I almost never look north of Orion because it's inconvenient... but having observed for a year now I suspect I rarely would anyway! Without having experienced what the north has to offer, I doubt I would trade any of 47 Tuc, Omega Centauri, Eta Carina or Tarantula or even Jewel Box for any galaxy. For astronomy purposes I'd probably choose to live right where I am, which is a stroke of luck.

[Smirnoff]

Originally Posted by prokyon

Hi,

very interesting thread!
I am a guy from the northern hemisphere at +47°. I have never seen the wonderful objects of the southern sky. I am dreaming of the MCs and Omega Centauri...and I wanna see the sagittarius constellation high in the sky.

My favorite objects of the northern sky are: M31 (Andromeda Galaxy), M13, M57 (Ring Nebula), M27 (Dumbell Nebula), Cirrus Nebula, h+chi in Perseus, Whirlpool Galaxy in Ursa Major, Galaxies in Coma Berenices....and many more. It depends on the conditions and the equipement.

It would be wonderful for me to be at a star party in Australia. So many objects I have never seen before and....I would not know all the constellations. This would be very exciting!

cheers

werner

postcard from the north, Ursa Major is circumpolar
http://www.prokyon.startime.at/Bilde...Farben_neu.jpg
(do you saý big dipper?)

Hey prokyon!

I've never heard of the "cirrus nebula". Where is it located?

[Rob_K]

NGC 6960 - part of the Veil SNR in Cygnus, also known as "Witch's Broom".

Cheers -

[pgc hunter]

^^ I've also heard/read it being referred to as the "network nebula" or something along the lines of that.

[Spanrz (Brett)]

Dam, I'm 0.02 of a degree out of the 37 degrees

I've been in both Hemispheres. Prefer the south by far!