Photo: jamingray

The different constellations

The moon, planets, and most constellations — like those of the zodiac — are visible all over the world. However, constellations that appear closer to the North and South Poles are only visible to the corresponding hemisphere. Those constellations — called circumpolar constellations — stay above the horizon all night orbiting the pole.

That’s why northerners see the Big Dipper all night, all year while the southerners never see it. On the other hand, only southerners can view the Southern Cross, the iconic constellation represented on the Australian and New Zealand flags.

Another southern circumpolar constellation is Vela. Vela harbors a neutron star — the Vela Pulsar — which rotates 11 times per second and whose intense magnetic field emits audible pulsating radio signals.

Southern Cross / Photo: Sarah G.

More and brighter constellations

The southern hemisphere has 11 circumpolar constellations, including six first-order magnitude stars, whereas the northern hemisphere only has five circumpolar constellations, none of which has very bright stars.

Why? Because the South Pole faces the galactic center of the Milky Way, providing a view of billions of stars. The brightest constellation is the Southern Cross, and the constellation with the greatest number of visible stars is Centaurus.

Prettier clusters

Within the Southern Cross, the Jewel Box Cluster showcases colorful stars that look like precious stones twinkling in the night. The colors come from a red supergiant amongst very bright blue supergiants and other brilliantly colored stars, some of which have luminosities 80,000 times that of the sun.

Next to the Jewel Box is Omega Centauri, the second brightest globular cluster in either hemisphere and the most massive concentration of stars orbiting the center of the Milky Way. This swarm of more than two million stars looks awesome in a telescope.

Photo: Mr. T in DC

Darker nebulae

Looking at the white stripe of the Milky Way across the sky is cool but looking at dark holes within the Milky Way is even cooler. Because the Milky Way is brighter in the southern hemisphere, the dark nebulae within it are more pronounced.

Situated between the two brightest stars of the Southern Cross is the most prominent nebula in the Milky Way, the Coalsack Nebula. If you connect the nebulae within the Milky Way, you can visualize the Emu in the Sky, which is the best known Australian Aboriginal constellation.

A brighter nebula, the Eta Carinae Nebula, is home to the most massive star in the galaxy, Eta Carinae, which is one of the most exciting stars because it is unstable and thought to be the next star to die in a supernova.

Upside-down

Because the hemispheres are upside-down from each other, the night sky is seen from a different vantage point. So familiar constellations such as Orion appear inverted in the southern hemisphere

The same goes for the moon. Even better, in the southern hemisphere the moon illuminates from the left to the right side in the waxing phase and darkens from left to right in the waning phase. So a crescent moon that looks to a northerner to be on its way to becoming a new moon is actually on its way to being full.

Photo: thebadastronomer

Large and small Magellanic clouds

These clouds are arguably the most amazing objects in the night sky anywhere in the world. Many northern hemispherians mistake them for ordinary clouds because they are big, white, and puffy, until they realize that they are in the same spot night after night.

They aren’t clouds at all; they are galaxies. And, coincidentally, they are right next to each other in the sky. No need for a telescope — the galaxies are so close that they appear much bigger than anything else visible from Earth. The larger cloud is a gigantic view of the fourth largest galaxy in the universe.

In addition to permanent constellations, the southern hemisphere hosts rare astronomical events, such as total solar eclipses. Total solar eclipses are only visible from a tiny percentage of the Earth’s surface and therefore require travel to very specific places. The next one, in November 2012, is only viewable from northwest Australia.

Watching the daytime sky go dark and the birds go silent has a bizarre otherworldly feel that, for astronomy fans like me, warrants traveling half way around the world.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Here are some words from some of the people who’ve been out there: The Ultimate Spiritual Awakening: How Going to the Moon Changed the Astronauts.

Feature photo by mikebaird. Photo above by birdfreak.com.

Some locations have just the right balance of climate, topography, and remoteness for attracting amazing avian diversity. Here are our top 10:

1. Amazon Rainforest

The scene evokes classic war imagery. A marching army pillages smaller and weaker communities, sending them fleeing as they get taken out by flying killing machines.

But this isn’t war; this is the ever-fascinating food chain and my favorite natural spectacle. Legions of army ants, one million strong, march across the rainforest floor, devouring every bug in their path. Those lucky enough to escape get swooped up by birds. The aptly-named antbirds descend upon army ant swarms, providing great close-up views for birders.

2. New Guinea

New Guinea is home to my favorite bird species, bowerbirds. Rather than sporting brilliant breeding plumages to attract females, bowerbirds construct elaborate bachelor pads decorated with color-coordinated trinkets from the forest floor.

They paint the walls with chewed berries and line the avenue with parrot feathers, shells, and flowers. With utmost precision, bowerbirds constantly rearrange the décor and strut for the female. This is way more interesting than any TV home makeover show!

3. Veracruz, Mexico

With hundreds of thousands of raptors swarming overhead, the skies of Veracruz are the site of the largest raptor migration in the world. More than 5 million raptors make up the River of Raptors each fall, including most of the world’s population of Broad-winged Hawks, Swainson’s Hawks, and Mississippi Kites.

Models of energy efficiency, raptors often glide on thermals rather than fly and flap. The thermals funnel the concentrated “kettle” of raptors between the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range and the Gulf of Mexico into Veracruz.

4. Aleutian Islands, Alaska

My only chance to see migratory ducks and pelagic birds at home is during winter when they are in their drab non-breeding plumages. But when they migrate to Alaska for the summer, they molt into spectacular breeding colors.

Summer in the Aleutian Islands is the time and place to see birds at their best and the air is filled with the haunting breeding call of the same Common Loons I saw at home in February.

5. Galapagos Islands

Having evolved without predators, the birds of the Galapagos harbor little fear of humans and allow birders to approach them. In fact, the safe environment helped cause the Galapagos Cormorant to lose the ability to fly. Walk the black and white sand beaches in search of the Blue-footed Booby, Magnificent Frigatebird, the courtship ritual of the Waved Albatross, and the world’s northernmost penguin.

Check out the infamous Galapagos finches that helped inspire Darwin’s theory of evolution.

A booby! Photo above by Max xx

6. Southern Texas

With more than 500 bird species, including species found nowhere else in the U.S., such as the Green Jay and Great Kiskadee, the lower Rio Grande Valley attracts birders from all over the world.

The World Birding Center recently opened 10,000 acres of habitat to birders. Two favorites are the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park and the Great Texas Wildlife Trails.

7. Panama

Situated within the range of both North and South American species, Panama has nearly 1,000 bird species all wrapped up in a small, easy to travel package.

Hike the cloud forests of the Chiriqui Highlands in western Panama in search of the Resplendent Quetzal.

Drive the Pipeline Road along the Panama Canal Watershed where 300 species have been spotted in one day.

Trek into the unspoiled and roadless Darien National Park in eastern Panama to spot the world’s largest population of the wild-looking Harpy Eagle.

8. Southeastern Arizona

Situated at a confluence of mountains, canyons, forests, grasslands, and desert, the Upper San Pedro River Basin is rich in avian diversity. Find the Elegant Trogon at Ramsey Canyon and if you’re lucky, the Eared Trogon.

The Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve is home to the Gray Hawk and Green Kingfisher. Visit during the summer when monsoon rains green the desert and bring a flush of bird activity.

9. Northeastern Minnesota

Birding isn’t just for springtime. Winter brings five species of owl to northeastern Minnesota, including the elusive Snowy Owl.

Birders from around the world flocked to Sax-Zim Bog during the winter of 2004-2005 to witness a record-breaking “irruption” of thousands of Great Gray Owls, the largest North American owl, along with hundreds of Boreal and Northern Hawk Owls. Bring a heavy coat!

10. Serengeti, Africa

Meaning “endless plains” in the Masai language, the Serengeti is home to two endemic bird species, the Grey Breasted Spurfowl and the Fisher’s Lovebird.

The Ngorongoro crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has 100 bird species not found in the rest of the Serengeti and holds the so-called big five game mammals—elephant, rhinoceros, lion, leopard and buffalo—within its 2000 foot high walls. A blanket of flamingos turns the crater’s soda lakes pink.

Practical Tips

It’s easy to find birding tours of hotspots.

Hawkwatch International provides a Veracruz hawk tour in October.

Many places offer environmentally-friendly lodging that contributes to the local economy by hiring local bird guides. In Ecuador, I stayed at Tandayapa Lodge in the Andes cloud forests and Sacha Lodge in the Amazon Rainforest.

For an alternative to expensive tour guides, use the internet to find a local birder at your destination to be your birdwatching buddy. Or, take a self-guided tour using maps of the Great Texas Wildlife Trails.

Feature photo by almac. Photo above by Frederick Roeber

Cage Dive in South Africa

Submerse yourself underwater and see what it feels like to watch a Great White Shark look right back at you. The world’s largest predatory fish, Great Whites attack their prey once and then let it bleed to death.

But their “Jaws” reputation is not deserved as they typically only attack humans if they mistake one for a seal.

Peak diving season is April through December at Shark Alley near Gansbaai. By the way—the latest trend is to cage dive with Nile Crocodiles, offered only at the Cango Ranch in Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape.

Camping Safari in Kenya

Photo by James

Walk among Africa’s deadly “Big 5”—elephant, leopard, lion, rhinoceros, and buffalo. Camp at the Selenkay and Kigio Conservation Areas instead of the major national parks because these particular conservation areas support the local Masai community.

Take 4WD vehicles to the famous Amboseli and Nakuru National Parks and the Mara Reserve. Thousands of wildebeest migrate across the savannas from June through September.

Tundra Buggy in Canada

Get within inches of polar bears on frozen tundra aboard the Tundra Buggy . Bears congregate along the Hudson Bay during October and November to hunt for their favorite food, the ringed seal.

Photo by earthnative

Cape Churchill is not accessible by road so you will fly in from Winnipeg and stay at the Tundra Buggy Lodge. You can feel good that the company supported a study to evaluate and help mitigate tourism’s impact upon the bears.

River Cruise in Australia

On a cruise along the Mary River in northern Australia last June, we rode up to dozens of sunbathing saltwater crocodiles. The largest existing reptiles, “salties” are one of the deadliest animals to humans, with several reported fatalities per year.

These crocs are known to eat humans and typically drown prey or clamp down with one ton of pressure per square inch.

Dive the Australian Coast

For the intrepid adventurer who doesn’t need a cage, deadly creatures abound at the Great Barrier Reef . Swim within inches of the venomous stonefish and blue-ringed octopus.

The sting of the box jellyfish kills more humans in Australia than snakes, sharks, and saltwater crocodiles. Stinger season is November through February. Don’t worry if you aren’t a certified diver— introductory dives are available. For visually-challenged folks, prescription goggles are available to accommodate even the worst astigmatism.

Seaplane Safari in Alaska

Photo by carlchapman

Get within 100 feet of a grizzly bear on a seaplane safari around the glaciers and volcanoes of Alaska. In July, the seaplane takes you to Brooks River Falls in Katmai National Park to watch grizzlies go fishing at the world’s largest salmon run. Grizzly bears are not named for their aggressive nature but for the grizzled appearance of their white-tipped fur.

Paddle in South America

Photo by gerej

On an evening paddle across Pilchicocha’s Lake in the Amazon Rainforest in August, our guide threw his hand into the water with such speed that it made everyone gasp. He had reached for an anaconda swimming in our path!

It was, of course, a juvenile anaconda. An adult anaconda strangles its prey with its more than 30-foot-long and 200-pound body.

Trek in Australia

Get up close to the Guinness Book of Records’ most dangerous bird—the cassowary—on the Wet Tropics Great Walk in Queensland. WWII soldiers fell victim to the dagger-like claws of the six-foot-tall bird.

Watch for the coastal taipan, one of the most venomous snakes in the world, whose penchant for rats brings it into proximity of humans. Visit April to October during the tropical dry season.

Community Connection

Choose your tour wisely. Some companies tranquilize or feed wildlife to guarantee a close encounter while others degrade the habitat. Airboats torpedo through sensitive wetlands and boat propellers can injure animals.

Consider seeing wildlife and traveling through a volunteer program at a wildlife conservancy.

Finally, keep in mind that many animals such as the cassowary and polar bear are endangered or threatened, and that despite their ferocious reputations, they only attack out of self defense. In general, habituating animals to humans through close encounters is often the cause of fatal attacks.

And sadly, as in the case of the Grizzly Man, Timothy Treadwell, the habituated animal is usually destroyed.