Our sky: the constellations of the southern hemisphere – My Sky Map

Our sky holds impressive beauty: observing the immensity of the universe and being able to watch the constellations of the southern hemisphere is one of the greatest privileges we have.

Therefore, it is important to understand which star clusters we can see in our region and how to locate them!

But what are the stars? Basically, they are celestial bodies made mainly of hydrogen and helium gas, which emit their own light.

Therefore, constellations are groupings of stars in the same area – even if they are, in fact, many light years away from each other.

Since ancient times, observing the stars has fascinated human beings, who began to relate them to each other and also to other environmental phenomena. From then on, they began to have names and served as a reference for location and also to guide periods suitable for agriculture, for example.

However, of the 88 cataloged constellations, not all of them can be seen in our sky.

This is because we live in different latitudes, in addition to the celestial map varying according to the time of year, due to translational movement.

So, find out which groups of stars we can observe at the bottom of the Earth!

The constellations of the southern hemisphere and our sky

Among the main constellations of the southern hemisphere, we highlight the Constellation of Orion and Cruzeiro do Sul, which is the smallest of all, but no less important, as it has four of its main stars of the first magnitude and appears very bright in the night sky. .

All constellations that can only be observed in the southern hemisphere are called southern, while those exclusive to the opposite hemisphere are boreal.

Check below which star groupings we can see in the lower part of the globe, as well as here in Brazil:

Constellations that can be seen from Brazil

Some of the constellations can be easily identified in our sky and in our country, in practically the entire territory. However, it is important to consider what we said previously: the positioning or appearance varies according to the time of year, ok?

Are they:

Orion constellation

Perhaps one of the most famous among Brazilians, as identifying its stars is very easy – even for those who don’t understand anything about astronomy.

It is in Orion’s Belt where the famous 3 Marias are located, stars that have the Arabic names of Mintaka (belt), Alnilam (pearl) and Alnitak (rope), representing items that would be part of the hunter’s belt. They form a straight asterism, which makes them easily identifiable.

The brightest stars in the constellation are Rigel and Betelgeuse, which occupy, respectively, the sixth and eighth brightest stars in the entire night sky!

The Orion Constellation can also be seen, at times, in the northern hemisphere.

Scorpio constellation

Then, the Constellation of Scorpio is also here: in August, its location depends on locating a star with a very reddish hue. Then, it is possible to find the group:

In fact, one of the stories of the Zodiac constellations tells that the Greek myth about this cluster refers to a fearsome scorpion that the goddess Artemis sent to end the life of the hunter Orion.

Interestingly, every time “Orion” appears in a hemisphere, the “scorpion” disappears, representing an eternal hunt. In other words: it is another example of agglomeration that appears in both hemispheres.

Furthermore, this constellation stands out for being home to Antares, the 16th brightest star in our sky (the red glowing star) and for being the one with the most stars represented on the Brazilian flag – totaling 8!

Hydra Constellation

The Hydra Constellation is the most extensive on the entire celestial map! Despite this, it is not so easily identifiable, as its stars have a low magnitude, that is: they have a dimmer glow.

It probably received its name in reference to the Hydra of Lerna, which I show Hercules faced in one of his 12 labors.

Here in Brazil, we can observe it in March and April. If you have a lot of difficulty, you can use astronomy apps to help you find it!

Southern Crown

Again, a constellation that has stars with low brightness: the Southern Crown. It is tiny and is located close to the Constellation of Sagittarius or the Constellation of Scorpio. In fact, just locate the “tail” of the invertebrate to find it.

Thus, its name refers to the laurel leaf crown, which represents the glory of heroes in ancient Greece. According to myths, it could have belonged to Sagittarius or Apollo.

Constellations of the southern hemisphere

In other cases, constellations can be found in other locations at the bottom of the globe:

Southern Cross Constellation

Cruzeiro do Sul points out the intersection between two important cosmic routes: the Milky Way and the Antarctic Celestial Circle. This reinforces the image of a cross, mainly because it is in a region where our sky is very dark.

Its four stars of the first magnitude form the arms of the element, with Alpha and Gamma representing the most extensive and Beta and Delta the smallest. There is also a curious fact: Epsilon (the smaller star on the right) is called Intrometida, as it is the fifth star in the constellation and is not part of the cross.

At the same time, this is a very significant constellation, as it is present in the flag of several countries in the southern hemisphere, such as Australia, New Zealand, Samoa and even the Brazilian flag.

In our case, as it represents a celestial sphere, this grouping appears mirrored in relation to the others.

The month of May is the best time to see it here in Brazil!

Southern Triangle

One of the southern hemisphere constellations that had its catalog in the modern era, the Southern Triangle takes its name from the obvious shape that its brightest stars form.

It is located on the south-southeast horizon in May and is quite convenient for night orientation.

Give someone the gift of heaven

Have you ever thought about giving a little piece of heaven as a gift? Our star map does this for you: it shows you exactly what the sky was like on a date, time and location that were important for some reason.

Detail on the constellations and Milky Way on the My Sky Map

It is the way to creatively and beautifully portray a special moment that deserves admiration and eternal appreciation.

You can also choose to include the constellations of the day and their respective names, making everything more interesting.

Add love phrases or friendship phrases and have a personalized, exclusive and very symbolic painting!

So, create your star map and share the grandeur of our cosmos with others.

Furthermore, if you want to see other ways of recording moments that created, just click below:

Our mission is to bring the enchantment of infinity close to you.