Viewing Constellations from Nassau - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Forum, Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

Jim143 · 06-03-2009, 05:00 PM

I have no idea where to post this, so I hope this is the right place

Has anyone see (or looked for) the Constellation Crux, (the Southern Cross) while on a cruise towards the Bahamas?

I know it is a constellation from the southern hemisphere, but in the summer, you can see it from the northern hemisphere when you are south of latitude 30 degrees. Port Canaveral is at the 28th parallel, Cococay is at the 25th Parallel and Nassau is almost at the 24th parallel.

I am going to try to look for it while we are on our cruise, but I have no idea which direction to look. One would assume "South", but that is not necessarily true.

If anyone has seen this constellation, can you please let me know where on the ship (about what time, too) were you and where did you see it?

MCcruiser · 06-04-2009, 12:48 AM

Jim, this is a VERY intriguing question! I have only been to Nassau twice, and neither time did I even think to check out the night sky. To be fair, there are so many lights near the ship, only the brightest stars would be visible, and then you would have to looking away from town, other ships, etc.

I was thinking that even if the lighting wasn't an issue, that the Southern Cross would be so close to the horizon that houses might block some or all of the stars.

But since I could not give you advice based on experience, I decided to look for an online program that would tell you what the sky over Nassau should look like for various times of year. I didn't find that - yet - but I did find this site:
ASTROCRUISERS ASTRONOMY CLUB "21 CLUB" PAGE
which says that Acrux, the brightest star in the cross can be seen in the very early part of the year. You didn't say when you will be there, but that is very important! (I am not sure why it wouldn't be visible in December as well; perhaps the site owner can tell you.)
That page had a link to freeware that was used to come up with that info, but while the original page was not updated, some of that freeware is now only for purchase. Still, that might be a starting place to find out where to look. I can guess that the star would rise in the southeast and move to the southwest and stay low on the horizon, but the exact spot and times will depend on which day you are looking.

I will continue to try to give you a good answer, since I'm curious! And there may be someone who actually saw the Southern Cross, and can give you the answer you were really looking for.

Jim143 · 06-04-2009, 08:40 AM

Thanks

I will look into your links further. I find it interesting that the information you provided says "early in the year", yet everything I have read was that it can be visible in the summer months. I will be there on July 1st - which is why I was interested about seeing it. I knew the lights of Nassau might be too much, so I was hoping to see it either the night after Cococay on the way to Nassau - or when we leave Nassau on the way back to Port Canaveral.

After I posted this question, I did read at a NASA related site that even though it can be seen below the 30th parallel, it is so low in the sky that the atmosphere near the horizon might be too "hazy" to actually see it clearly.

I will keep looking, both now before we leave - looking for more information and once we get on the ship - looking for the actual stars. . . .