The NASA Star Finder charts are constructed based on the visible night sky at 34˚ N latitude, about as far north of the equator as Los Angeles, California and Wichita Falls, Texas. Will the constellations on the Star Finder chart shift in the sky if you observe the night sky from further south?

Question

1. No, the location of the stars in the sky is fixed.
2. No, the motion of Earth cancels out with the motions of stars.
3. Yes, they will shift south.
4. Yes, they will shift north.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

3. Yes, they will shift south.

When observing the night sky from a more southern latitude, the visible constellations will shift south. This is because as you move closer to the equator, you can see a larger portion of the celestial sphere, including southern constellations that are not visible from 34° N latitude. Conversely, this also means that some northern constellations will become less visible or may dip below the horizon.