Menkent in Centaurus

[Tddun]

I was wondering if anyone has ever caught a glimpse of the star Menkent, or I suppose indeed any part of the constellation of Centaurus viewed from the UK. I believe it only ever rises about a maximum of 2 degree's above the horizon from the UK and is a mag 2 star. Been wanting to challenge myself in terms of viewing a fairly bright-ish star that is a tricky spot from our location.

[ronin]

Stellarium say that it JUST creeps up on something like April 20 at midnight, UTC midnight I assume not BST as it would be then).

You have to set that date and time and then zoom in on the Southern horizon and it is a little dot/star at the very bottom.

It may be easier then that as I find Stellarium and the horizon never seem quite right.

If I look for Jupiter on Stellarium is appears low but if I go outside it is at a decent height in the sky - yes I have the horizon/view set to Ocean so horizon should be as low as it gets.

UK (51.5 degree) planisphere says it does not appear but again I think the horizon on those is not 0 but a 10 or 20 degree elevation. Could be wrong here.

Head South to Beachy Head,

One odd thing is it may not actually break the horizon but still be visible, the atmosphere means we can in effect see a bit below the horizon owing to refraction. Would however be a rotten image, but "visible".

[Tddun]

It's one I'll certainly have to wait until we have a good transparent sky for.!

[dick_dangerous]

You could try from the Lizard perhaps? Stellarium says about a 3 degree elevation from Penzance.

Personally, I'd book a flight to the Canary Islands!

DD

[alan potts]

This star just about gets up for me but I have a mountain range that takes out about 7-8 degrees of my southern skyline, but for me it would be doable, difficult viewing that low down.

Alan