Anyone who has spent time looking at stars in the southern hemisphere might have noticed that the night sky is completely different in Minnesota. The Southern Cross (Cruz del Sur) indicates the direction of the cardinal point it is named after and can be seen south of the Equator year-round. Andromeda is visible now that it’s spring in the southern hemisphere, while we can look for Pisces this fall in the U.S.
There are officially 88 constellations in the sky spread across both hemispheres. Approximately 36 are visible from the northern hemisphere. Constellations close to the celestial equator can be seen from parts of both the northern and southern hemispheres.
Interactive sky chart
But you don’t have to travel to see different constellations. You can just wait for the seasonal change: Different constellations are visible in different seasons. Online, go to: Bimonthly star maps; constellations by time of year.
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