Sydney Observatory night sky map

A map for each month of the year, to help you learn about the night sky

October 2012
www.sydneyobservatory.com

This star chart shows the stars and constellations visible in the night sky for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth for October 2012 at about 7.30pm (local standard time). For Darwin and similar locations the chart will still apply, but some stars will be lost off the southern edge while extra stars will be visible to the north. Stars down to a brightness or magnitude limit of 4.5 are shown. To use this chart, rotate it so that the direction you are facing (north, south, east or west) is shown at the bottom. The centre of the chart represents the point directly above your head, called the zenith, and the outer circular edge represents the horizon.

Star brightness
Zero or brighter 1st magnitude 2nd 3rd 4th
LACERTA ANDROMEDA

Moon phase
Last quarter: 08th New Moon: 15th First quarter: 22nd Full Moon: 30th
Vega LYRA

W N
HERCULES CORONA BOREALIS SERPENS

PEGASUS DELPHINUS
Tarazed

EQUULEUS PISCES

PISCES

AQUARIUS CAPRICORNUS

Fomalhaut

MICROSCOPIUM

Centre of the Galaxy

Mars on 25th Mars on 5th

SCULPTOR

GRUS

CORONA AUSTRALIS INDUS TELESCOPIUM

Antares Shaula

Antares

SCORPIUS SCORPIUS

LIBRA Zubenelgenubi

PHOENIX

ARA

TUCANA
FORNAX TUCANA Achernar

PAVO NORMA

Moon on 17th
LUPUS

P
Mercury on 17th

POINTERS

ERIDANUS

ERIDANUS
HOROLOGIUM HYDRUS

SMC

OCTANS OCTANS

TRIANGULUM AUSTRALE CIRCINUS APUS Alpha Centauri CENTAURUS Hadar Beta Centauri

South Celestial Pole

RETICULUM

Chart key

Bright star PICTOR Faint star Ecliptic Milky Way COLUMBA P Planet LMC or Large Magellanic Cloud SMC or Small Magellanic Cloud

CAELUM

DORADO

LMC

POINTERS South Celestial Pole MENSA CHAMAELEON MUSCA CRUX

VOLANS

SOUTHERN CROSS
Mimosa CENTAURUS

SW

Canopus CARINA

South

Remember summer time (daylight saving) begins on Sunday 7th at 2am in NSW, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania and SA. Mars is visible in the west, moving from Libra into Scorpius early in the month and then into Ophiuchus in the middle of the month. On the 18th the crescent Moon is below Mars. Mercury is low in the west and is next to the thin crescent Moon on the 17th. The best time to observe the Moon using binoculars or a small telescope is a few days either side of the first quarter Moon on the 22nd. To the south-west is Crux (the Southern Cross) easily located using the two nearby stars called the Pointers. To the west are the constellations of Scorpius (the Scorpion) and Sagittarius (the Archer).
Sydney Observatory, with a magnificent view overlooking Sydney Harbour, is open 10am to 5pm daily except closed Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and open 10am to noon on New Years Eve. Open Monday to Saturday for night sessions (times vary depending on the season) for sky viewing through one of our telescopes (cosy planetarium session if cloudy), and 3D movies about the Universe. Bookings are essential for night programs. For more information, see www.sydneyobservatory.com.au or call (02) 9921 3485. Sydney Observatory is at Watson Road, Observatory Hill, in the historic Rocks area of Sydney.

Sydney Observatory is part of the Powerhouse Museum. The Sydney Observatory night sky map is prepared by Dr M Anderson using the software TheSky. 2012 Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney.

West

Mira

CETUS

PISCIS AUSTRINUS

North
Deneb CYGNUS VULPECULA SAGITTA
Alshain

E N

Altair

AQUILA

Moon on 22nd
SCUTUM The Teapot OPHIUCHUS Centre of the Galaxy SERPENS

SAGITTARIUS SAGITTARIUS

East

SE