I've never seen the southern stars and it is one of my dreams to see the southern stars, the Magelllanic Clouds, and the other wonders of the southern hemisphere night sky.

My question: Is Rigel Kent visible from the southern-most points in the USA?

It looks like Key West, at 22 degrees latitude, gives a theoretical southern horizon of -68 degrees declination. And Brownsville, TX, at 27 degrees latitude, gives a theoretical southern horizon of -63 degrees declination. Both these places seem to have the potential of a Rigel Kent sighting, at -61 degrees declination.

I will probably just fly somewhere far enough south to see it all, southern Mexico being the shortest flight....

Tim

I could easily see both it and the Southern Cross over the ocean from the south coast of Oahu (Hawaii). That beach was at 21.3 north latitude.

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I've seen a photo of the southern cross taken from Miami--that's about the same declination as Alpha Centauri I think.

On the other hand, you can often photograph something that's too low in the sky to be seen through the haze....

Ok--the declination of a Cen is -61 degrees (Wikipedia), so you must be below a latitude of 29 degrees for it to rise above the horizon at its transit.

Miami is at 26 degrees latitude, so it's never above 3 degrees from there--you won't see much through the haze.

Key West is 24.5 degrees, making it rise to 4.5 degrees above the horizon, a little better but not good.

So, you will probably want to go to Hawaii or Mexico.

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Todd (Bowie, MD, US, North America, Earth, Sol System, Vega region, Local Bubble, Orion arm, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Virgo A Cluster, Virgo supercluster, the universe in which spock is clean shaven)

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I AM in Key West, FL - and it is 24.5 deg lat.
Rigel Kent is clearly visible, so is cluster Omega Centauri and right now, early evening, the Southern Cross.
For the Magellan clouds you need to go further South - the Yucatan will do.

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Although my initial idea was to fly down to Acapulco (approx 17 degrees latititude), now I'm thinking bolder: Maybe I'll fly down to South America or Australia so I can see all the circumpolar stars, clusters, Magellanic Clouds, the way they should be seen....

Tim

Cool! In Tucson here (approx 32 degreees latitude), the only 1st magnitude southern star that I can see is Canopus, relatively high above the horizon - at least it was till about a month ago....

For a good view of the Small Magellanic Cloud and 47 Tucanae, you'll have to go south of the equator. I've been to Huatajata, Bolivia (at 16.2 degrees south) twice to observe and the SMC was not particularly high in the sky from that location. It was placed well enough, however, to provide some great views through a 22" Starmaster Dob.

Dave Mitsky

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That's what I'm thinking now. If I'm going to do it, might as well do it right and get as far south as possible. Maybe Patagonia?

For a comfortable naked-eye view a lower latitude [like mine ] would be better.

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Wow - right on the Tropic of Capricorn!

or, even better, one like mine, just north of the roaring 40s

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Yep. Aside from small islands it would be southern Australia, New Zealand, or Patagonia for the best southern circumpolar views.... I'm jealous!

Tim