Southern Celestial Hemisphere

For the purpose of celestial mapping, the sky is considered as the inside of a sphere divided in two halves by the celestial equator. The southern celestial hemisphere is that half of the celestial sphere that is south of the celestial equator. At all times, the entire Southern Sky is visible from the geographic South Pole; less of the Southern Sky is visible the further north the observer is located. Many objects within the southern celestial hemisphere can also be viewed from the northern terrestrial hemisphere, depending on the latitude.

Carina Nebula (NGC 3372), 8,000 light-years distant, spans over 260 light-years, and is one of the largest star-forming regions in the Milky Way.

CLICK HERE to go to Carina Nebula Gallery.

pearl cluster astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Pearl Cluster (NGC 3766), a star cluster 5500 light years distant, 20-25 million years old, near the Running Chicken Nebula, sometimes called the “southern gem”.

orion molecualr cloud astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Part of Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, with Orion Nebula (M42) (just left of centre), De Mairan’s Nebula (M43) almost connected to it, and Running Man Nebula (Sh2-279 to the further right; 1,500 light-years distant.

tarantula nebula ngc 2070 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070), the most active starburst region in the local universe, 160,000 light-years distant in the Large Magellanic Cloud, and only about 2 million years old.

statue of liberty nebula astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Statue of Liberty Nebula (RCW 57, NGC 3576/3582), a 100 light-year-wide stellar nursery, 9,000 light-years distant.

jewel box cluster astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Jewel Box cluster (NGC 4755), 6,500 light-years distant with 100 stars, mostly blue giants, aged only 14 million years.

m20 trifid nebula astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Trifid Nebula (M 20, NGC 6514), a star-forming nebula 7,000 light-years distant, a rare combination of emission and reflection nebular and dark dust lanes.

gum nebula gum 12 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Gum Nebula (Gum 12), a vast, faint emission nebula spanning 36° in the night sky, 1,000 light-years across, 1,500 light-years distant, believed to be a million-year-old expanding supernova remnant.

cat paw nebula on snow astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334), a stellar nursery and emission nebula 4750 light-years distant; adjusted with Adobe photoshop to place four paws in image, and invert image (a cat walking on snow).

running chicken nebula ic 2944 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Running Chicken Nebula (IC 2944), a stellar nursery 6,500 light-years distant, spanning 100 light-years across.

cat paw nebula walking astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334), a stellar nursery and emission nebula 4750 light-years distant; adjusted with Adobe photoshop to place four paws in image.

carina nebula detail close up astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Part of Carina Nebula (NGC 3372), 8,000 light-years distant, spanning 260 light-years, one of the largest star-forming regions in the Milky Way.

vela supernova remnant part of astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Vela supernova remnant (SNR, Gum 16, SNR G263.9-03.3), 700 light-years distant, the aftermath of a massive star that exploded 11,000 years ago.

Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) captured with Sigma 85mm lens, Ha filter and ASI 2600mm camera, — Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), satellite galaxy of Milky Way Galaxy, 160,000 light-years distant.

gem star cluster astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Gem Cluster (NGC 3293), 8,000 light-years distant in the Eta Carinae Nebula, containing over 50 bright stars, aged 10 million years.

small magellanic cloud astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC, NGC 292), a dwarf galaxy, companion to the Milky Way, 200,000 light-years distant, with 3 billion stars.

cat paw nebula ngc 6344 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334), a stellar nursery and emission nebula 4750 light-years distant, known for its distinctive red appearance due to ionized hydrogen gas.

trapezium orion nebula astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Trapezium cluster (Theta1 Orionis), one million-year old 20 light-year-sized cluster of massive stars ionizing and illuminating the Orion Nebula (M42).

m16 eagle nebula astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Eagle Nebula (M16), a young, active star-forming region 6,000 light-years distant, contains the “Pillars of Creation”, sculpted by a nearby hot star cluster, NGC 6611.

carina nebula view astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Part of Carinae Nebula (NGC 3372), 8,000 light-years distant, spanning 260 light-years, one of the largest star-forming regions in the Milky Way.

lobster nebula ngc 6357 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Lobster Nebula (NGC 6357), an emission nebula 6750 light-years distant, producing some of the most massive and luminous stars in the Milky Way galaxy.

Coalsack Nebula (Caldwell 99), dark nebula 600 light-years distant, a dense, interstellar cloud of hydrogen and cosmic dust, coated with water ice and organic molecules; captured with Sigma85mm lens, Ha filter, ASI2600mm camera. — Coalsack Nebula (Caldwell 99), dark nebula 600 light-years distant, a dense, interstellar cloud of hydrogen and cosmic dust, coated with water ice and organic molecules.

snr vela supernova remnant part of astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Vela supernova remnant (SNR, Gum 16, SNR G263.9-03.3), 700 light-years distant, the aftermath of a massive star that exploded 11,000 years ago.

Gabriela Mistral Nebula (IC 2599), 7500 light-years distant; image manipulated with Adobe Photoshop.

lmc tarantula nebula astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070), the most active starburst region in the local universe, 160,000 light-years distant in the Large Magellanic Cloud, and only about 2 million years old.

snr close up supernova remnant gum 16 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Vela supernova remnant (SNR, Gum 16, SNR G263.9-03.3), 700 light-years distant, the aftermath of a massive star that exploded 11,000 years ago; inverted with Adobe Photoshop.

star clusters nw carina nabulae astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Star cluster family north-west of Carina Nebula (NGC 3372), including NGC 3324, Trumpler 15, Loden 153, Loden 156, NGC 3293 and IC 2581, < 10 million years old and physically connected.

dragons of ara fighting over dragon egg astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Dragons of Ara (NGC 6188) fighting over Dragon’s Egg nebula (NGC 6164) seen at bottom of image, 4,000 light-years distant; Egg Nebula thought to be formed by the merger of two stars 7,500 years ago.

bean nebula ngc 1763 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Bean Nebula (NGC 1763), a stellar nursery 160,000 light-years distant in the Large Magellanic Cloud.

carina nebula close up detail astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Part of Carinae Nebula (NGC 3372), 8,000 light-years distant, spanning 260 light-years, one of the largest star-forming regions in the Milky Way; stylized with Adobe Photoshop.

pencil nebula ngc 2736 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Pencil Nebula (NGC 2736), moving at 180km/s, 815 light-years distant, part of the larger Vela Supernova Remnant, formed from a star that exploded 11,000 years ago.

eagle nebula m16 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Eagle Nebula (M16), a young, active star-forming region 6,000 light-years distant, contains the “Pillars of Creation”, sculpted by a nearby hot star cluster, NGC 6611.

Gabriela Mistral Nebula (NGC 3324), emission nebula and star-forming region 7,500 light-years distant. Nicknamed for its resemblance to the Chilean Nobel Prize-winning poet, its cosmic dust and gas clouds resemble a human face in profile; inverted with Adobe Photoshop.

omega centauri astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Omega Centauri (NGC 5139), the largest, brightest, and most massive globular cluster in the Milky Way, 17,000 light-years distant, with 10 million stars.

lagoon nebula m8 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Lagoon Nebula (M 8, NGC 6523), a massive interstellar cloud of gas and dust 4500 light-years distant, a stellar nursery, spanning roughly 100 light-years; here, it looks like a horse’s head.

pillars of creation m16 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Pillars of Creation, 7,000 light-years distant in the Eagle Nebula (M16), active star-forming regions, with the pillars 4 to 5 light-years tall.

ngc 3293 loden 153 nebula astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Parts of the Carinae Nebula Complex, 8,000 light-years distant; to the bottom left is Gum 31 (IC 2599), bubble-shaped region known as Gabriela Mistral (a Chilean poet) nebula; in the middle, is NGC 3293, the gem cluster of stars; towards the top is Loden153 Nebula

fighting dragons of ara ngc 6188 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Fighting Dragons of Ara, (NGC 6188), a massive emission nebula 4,000 light-years distant, featuring dust clouds shaped like two dragons facing off, sculpted by intense stellar winds.

lagoon nebula horses head astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Lagoon Nebula (M 8, NGC 6523), a massive interstellar cloud of gas and dust 4500 light-years distant, a stellar nursery, spanning roughly 100 light-years; here, it looks like a horse’s head.

ngc 2736 pencil nebula astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Pencil Nebula (NGC 2736), moving at 180km/s, 815 light-years distant, part of the larger Vela Supernova Remnant, formed from a star that exploded 11,000 years ago.

From left to right, Running Chicken, Statue of Liberty (in the middle) and Eta Carinae nebulae; captured with sigma85mm lens, narrowband filters and ASI2600mm camera. — From left to right, Running Chicken, Statue of Liberty (in the middle) and Eta Carinae nebulae.

running chicken nebula close up astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Part of Running Chicken Nebula (IC 2944), a stellar nursery 6,500 light-years distant, spanning 100 light-years across.

m8 lagoon nebula ngc 6523 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Lagoon Nebula (M 8, NGC 6523), a massive interstellar cloud of gas and dust 4,500 light-years distant, a stellar nursery, spanning roughly 100 light-years.

ngc 2070 tarantula nebula astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070), the most active starburst region in the local universe, 160,000 light-years distant in the Large Magellanic Cloud, and only about 2 million years old; inverted with Adobe Photoshop.

head running chicken nebula astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Head of the Running Chicken Nebula complex (Gum 39), a stellar nursery 6,500 light-years distant, ionized by the hot, blue star HD 99897.

eagle nebula pillars of creation astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Pillars of Creation, 7,000 light-years distant in the Eagle Nebula (M16), active star-forming regions, with the pillars 4 to 5 light-years tall.

Cosmic Reef captured with Celestron EDGE HD 9.25, Ha and OIII filters and ASI 2600mm camera. — Cosmic reef, with giant red nebula (NGC 2014) and smaller blue nighbour (NGC 2020), 160,000 light-years distant in Large Magellanic Cloud.

dove nebula ngc 6357 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Dove Nebula (NGC 6357), also known as the War and Peace Nebula, a massive, active stellar nursery 6750 light-years distant.

ngc 3372 close up carina nebula astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Part of Carinae Nebula (NGC 3372), 8,000 light-years distant, spanning 260 light-years, one of the largest star-forming regions in the Milky Way.

rcw 57 statue of liberty nebula astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Statue of Liberty Nebula (RCW 57, NGC 3576/3582), a vibrant, 100 light-year-wide stellar nursery 9,000 light-years distant.

gum 12 gum nebula astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Gum Nebula (Gum 12), a vast, faint emission nebula spanning 36° in the night sky, 1,000 light-years across, 1,500 light-years distant, believed to be a million-year-old expanding supernova remnant.

trifid nebula m20 astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Trifid Nebula (M 20, NGC 6514), star-forming nebula 7,000 light-years distant, a rare combination of emission and reflection nebular and dark dust lanes.

tarantula nebula i astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070), the most active starburst region in the local universe, 160,000 light-years distant in the Large Magellanic Cloud, and only about 2 million years old.

carina nebula defocussed image astroanderson.com global astrophotography — Part of Eta Carinae Nebula (NGC 3372), 8,000 light-years distant, spanning 260 light-years, and one of the largest star-forming regions in the Milky Way; stylized with Adobe Photoshop.

Supernova (SN 2024ggi), 22 million light-years distant in galaxy NGC 3621, a Type II supernova from a red supergiant star, first observed April 2024 by European Southern Observatory (ESO), Chile. Arrow points to supernova.

I thank Joseph Anderson, ESO Chile faculty chair, for alerting me to this event.

CLICK HERE to go to Paranal Observatory Gallery.