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To: SunkenCiv

And some in the S. hemisphere actually yearn to see the Big Dipper?


5 posted on 02/18/2012 8:20:40 AM PST by VanDeKoik
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To: VanDeKoik
Many people in the Southern hemisphere can see the Big Dipper--if they live north of the Tropic of Cancer.

The stars in the Big Dipper are between 49 and 62 degrees north of the celestial equator. From Rio it would be problematic since Alpha Ursae Majoris (the northernmost of the 7 stars) would never be more than about 5 degrees above the horizon, and seeing objects closer to the horizon than 10 degrees can be difficult, but from places like Lima or Jakarta or Pago Pago, you'd be able to see the entire Big Dipper at times.

9 posted on 02/18/2012 9:14:24 AM PST by Verginius Rufus
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