Southern

Below Orion in the far south, Columba is tiny, with few bright stars. Barely visible in December from 35 degrees north latitude.

On the back of Hydra, kite-shaped pattern, low in the south.

Dim stars on the back of Hydra; shape of a cup.

When looking for the Southern Cross, beware of two similar asterisms nearby, both of which point more toward the Large Magellenic Cloud (in the constellation Dorado) than toward the south celestial pole: 

1. The Diamond Cross (in Carina).
2. The False Cross (between Carina and Vela).

The real Crux has two unmistakable marks, which will help you be sure you’ve found the real thing: 

Dorado the Swordfish is a small and obscure but very interesting constellation. It contains the Large Magellenic Cloud (LMC) and the only recent naked-eye supernova. In addition, the south ecliptic pole is located about where the "eye" of the fish would be. The Large and Small Magellenic Clouds are bright enough to be visible even in Moonlight.

The River Eridanus flows northward (like the Nile) from the bright star Achernar (Arabic for "End of the River") to Kursa (beta-Eridani) near Rigel in Orion. Eridanus is the longest (not largest) constellation, spanning over 50 degrees of declination, and its many faint stars glitter like reflecting light off the surface of its waves.

A small constellation of faint stars nestled within a bend of the river (Eridanus), low in the south.