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What is this set of stars?

Hey guys,

Got a question I'm hoping you Astronomy-heads may know!

I'm from Victoria, Australia (so.. autumn; Southern hemishpere) and am currently in an area pretty distant from any city. As such, the sky is pretty smog-free.

Anyway, at night.. I always see a set of stars. If its not a clear night, there one of the few sets of stars visible.. and on clear nights, they are pretty bright compared to others. I guess the easiest way to describe it is that has maybe 8 stars visible, and looks like a leg with a bend at the knee!

Any ideas?

6 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Try running a free planetarium program like Stellarium and see for yourself!

  • DLM
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    This is a nearly impossible assessment to make. You've given us your location, but have not stated the approximate time, altitude (height above the horizon), azimuth (direction), or the approximate brightness of these stars. One could argue that (open for interpreting the above variables) any number of stars, either from a single constellation or a combination of constellations could easily make up the pattern you describe.

    The link the first answerer gave you is an excellent tool. Just tell it where you are and when you were looking, and the stars appear on your computer, just as they would in your sky.

    You can feel free to add details, just click on the "edit" tab at the bottom of your question (but above the answers), and we will have a much easier time giving you more accurate answers.

  • It could be Dorado. It resembles a leg with a bend at the knee. Victoria, Australia is at about 15 degrees south latitude so if this is the constellation you see, it should start at just about your horizon and the leg should stretch about 15 degrees upwards with the knee pointing downward towards your horizon. Hope this helps

  • 1 decade ago

    it could be dorado the large magellanic cloud is beside it up at the top look for a faint grey patch

    or maybe canis major, but to me it looks like a stick man with sirius the brightest star and just below it is M44 the little beehive cluster. you can see it at night under clear skies, it also will look like grey faint patch

    hope this helps

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    It might be the head part of Leo the Lion, except being Down There you would be looking at it upside down.

  • 1 decade ago

    many of us are not familiar with the southern star sky, so maybe we can't figure it out right now what constellation is should be

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