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TheSky (c) Astronomy Software 1984-1998

Sydney Observatory night sky map

January 2016

CEPHEUS

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

www.sydneyobservatory.com.au

CAMELOPARDALIS

The star chart shows the stars and constellations visible in the night sky for Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Hobart and Adelaide
for January 2015 at about 8:30 pm (summer time) and at about 7:30 pm (local standard time) for Perth and Brisbane. 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 on the star chart. To use this star chart,
rotate the chart so that the direction you are facing (north, south, east or west)
is shown at the bottom. The centre of the chart
CASSIOPEIA
represents the point directly above your head, called the zenith point, and the outer circular edge represents the horizon.

North

Star Brightness

Moon Phase
Last quarter: 02nd
New Moon: 10th
LACERTA
First quarter: 17th
Full Moon: 24th

LYNX

Zero or brighter
1st magnitude
2nd
3rd
4th

Capella
AURIGA

NW

PERSEUS

NE

ANDROMEDA

TRIANGULUM

M45 (Pleiades or
Seven Sisters)
Pollux
TAURUS First quarter
Aldebaran Moon on 27th

GEMINI

ARIES
PEGASUS
PISCES

Betelgeuse
ORION

CANIS MINOR

M42

Procyon

Rigel

CETUS
EQUULEUS

ERIDANUS
MONOCEROS
AQUARIUS

East

LEPUS

West

Sirius

FORNAX

Sirius
CANIS MAJOR

SCULPTOR

ERIDANUS

Fomalhaut

COLUMBA CAELUM
Adhara

PUPPIS

PISCIS AUSTRINUS

PHOENIX

HOROLOGIUM
PICTOR

CAPRICORNUS

Achernar
GRUS

RETICULUM

Canopus

DORADO
PYXIS

TUCANA

LMC

MICROSCOPIUM

HYDRUS

SMC
INDUS

MENSA

FALSE CROSS

VOLANS
CARINA

HYDRA

OCTANS

South Celestial Pole

VELA

PAVO

CHAMAELEON

ANTLIA

SCORPIUS

SAGITTARIUS

TELESCOPIUM

SE

Chart Key

SOUTHERN CROSS
MUSCA

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

CRUX
Mimosa
Hadar

APUS

SW

CORONA AUSTRALIS

POINTERS
TRIANGULUM AUSTRALE
ARA
Alpha Centauri
CIRCINUS

Centre of the Galaxy

South
CENTAURUS

NORMA

SCORPIUS

The best time to view the Moon using binoculars or a small telescope is a few days either side of its first quarter phase, which
falls on the 17th of this month. At this time, the light from the sun casts greatly contrasting shadows along the illuminated and
non-illuminated parts of the moon. The two brightest stars in the night LUPUS
sky can be found easily throughout the month; Sirius in
the constellation Canis Major is the brightest star followed by the star Canopus in Carina. The constellation Carina (the keel)
can be joined with Vela (the sails) and Puppis (the deck) to form the great ship Argo, which Jason and the Argonauts sailed
Antares Cross), is located low
upon in their search for the Golden Fleece, according to the ancient Greek mythology. Crux (the Southern
in the south and can be difficult to find at this time of year.
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, check the website at www.sydneyobservatory.com.au or call (02) 9921
3485. Sydney Observatory is at 1003 Upper Fort Street, Observatory Hill, in the historic Rocks
area of Sydney.

Sydney Observatory is part of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. The Sydney Observatory night sky map was created by Dr M Anderson using the
TheSky software. This months edition was prepared by Brenan Dew 2016 Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney.

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