Why is the dog upside down?

Learning to identify constellations in the night sky can be a slow process.

First, you need a big, dark sky with unobstructed viewing, like we have at Outback Astronomy, Broken Hill, NSW.

Next, you need someone knowledgeable to highlight constellations and patterns of stars within. When you attend a sky show at Outback Astronomy, our sky guide will show you the starry details.

Perhaps you have heard of a big dog in the constellation Canis Major. It is in our summer sky.

Why did ancient gazers make this dog appear upside down?

When on your next visit to Broken Hill, book a Hang out with the Stars® sky show to see the dog.

As for why the dog is upside down, imagine trying to see this part of the sky from Greece or Egypt, or someplace else in the northern hemisphere.

If you are still struggling to work out the view, just imagine you are gazing while hanging upside down on monkey bars. This way, you will view the big dog as the ancient gazers did when they invented this pattern.

Stargazing from a southern hemisphere perspective needs a little navigation and guidance.

Images: Stars of the upside down dog

Images Credit:  Starry Night Pro