observatory

Let us begin our tour of the night sky by looking towards the south. If you’re facing south in the early evening and you look high in the sky, 60 degrees or 3 hand-spans up from the horizon, you should be able to see two bright stars, almost side by side about three fingers-width apart. If you’re in a bright, light polluted location, such as central Sydney, they may be the only two stars you can see in that direction. Away from the city and other bright lights, they will be the brightest pair of stars you see towards the south.

In the June sky guide I’m going to be talking to you about what’s in the sky for the month of Junius, the fourth month of the old Roman calendar as created by Romulus around 735 BC. After Julius Caesar’s last year of confusion and reform in 46 BC, it became the sixth month of the year, June.

In the May sky guide, as well as showing us where to find the constellations Orion, Scorpius, Centaurus and Crux, and the star clusters, the Jewel Box, M6 and M7, Melissa tells us the best times to see the five planets visible with the unaided eye: Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn and the best time to see the Eta-Aquarid meteor shower.

March, named in honour of the Roman god of war, Mars. We're going to start our tour of the night sky by looking west shortly after sunset. When I say, 'shortly after sunset', you do need some time for it to get dark. You might be wait 20-30 minutes or up to an hour, but look to where the Sun went down and that will be west.

This month's guide is presented by Melissa Hulbert, Sydney Observatory's Astronomy Programs Coordinator. In the February sky guide, as well as showing us where to find the constellations Pegasus, Orion and Taurus, and the star clusters, Hyades and Pleiades, Melissa tells us the best times to see the planets Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

'For some, who are travelers, the stars are guides. For others they are no more than little lights in the sky' as said by Antoine de Saint-Exupery from The Little Prince. That you are here listening to this would seem to indicate that you are a traveler and I will help you on your journey through the night sky. This is Geoffrey Wyatt and I'm one of the Education team here at the Museum of Applied Arts Sciences' Sydney Observatory, I'm going to talk to you about what's visible in the sky for the month of December.

In the November sky guide, as well as showing us where to find the constellations Pegasus, Orion and Taurus, and the star clusters, Hyades and Pleiades, Melissa tells us the best times to see the planets Saturn, Mercury, Mars, Venus and Jupiter.

Hello there. I'm Geoffrey Wyatt, one of the team here at Sydney Observatory, part of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. I'm going to talk to you about what's visible in the sky for the month of September.

Mel suggests stars and constellations to look out for this month include Scorpius, with the red star at its heart, Antares; Sagittarius, which looks more like a teapot than a centaur; Crux, more commonly known as the Southern Cross; and Ophiuchus, the 13th sign of the zodiac! Mel also tells us the best times and dates to see the planets Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mercury.

This month, learn how to find the winter constellations. Take the sting out of cold winter nights by identifying the Scorpion in the sky and searching for star clusters in the Milky Way. Watch the dance of Jupiter's moons and see Venus replace the eye of the Bull, Taurus.

In my opinion, the month of June each year is the best time of the year to go outside, as long as it's clear and you are warm, to look up and enjoy the view of the Milky Way as the bright centre around Scorpius and Sagittarius rises in the East and passes overhead.

Learn about the southern night sky with our monthly guide and star map.

In my opinion, the month of June each year is the best time of the year to go outside, as long as it's clear and you are warm, to look up and enjoy the view of the Milky Way as it rises in the East and passes overhead.

In my opinion, the month of June each year is the best time of the year to go outside, as long as it's clear and you are warm, to look up and enjoy the view of the Milky Way as it rises in the East and passes overhead. As we head toward the longest night of the year, the winter solstice, clearly you've noticed it's cold. If you're going outside to look at the stars, you will need some supplies.

This month's guide is presented by Geoffrey Wyatt, Astronomy Educator at Sydney Observatory. Among Geoff's recommendations for viewing in the southern sky this month are Fomalhaut, the brightest star in Piscis Austrinus (the Southern Fish), Achernar, the brightest star in Eridanus (the River), Orion (the Hunter) within which you can find the beautiful nebula, M42, and Aldebaran, the brightest star in Taurus (the Bull). He also tells you where to find the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. Geoff's engaging presentation includes fascinating ancient Greek and even more ancient Indigenous astronomical mythologies. And don't forget to look out for the Geminid meteor shower on 14th and 15th December.

In the November sky guide, as well as showing us where to find the constellations Pegasus, Orion and Taurus, and the star clusters, Hyades and Pleiades, Mel tells us the best times to see the bright planets Venus and Jupiter. Mel also tells us where we can hope to see Comet C/2012 K1 PanSTARRS during November.

This month, find out how to find the South Celestial Pole, and where to find stars and constellations including Crux (the Southern Cross) and the Pointer stars, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, the bright star Antares at the heart of Scorpius. Andrew also tells us about some good photo opportunities from 25th to 28th October when the crescent Moon passes by Saturn, then Antares and finally, Mars. And of course, there is the Orionids meteor shower to look out for during the nights and pre-dawn during October.

Sydney Observatory astronomy experts guide you through the highlights of this month's night sky - with fascinating information about stars, constellations and planets, the Sun and the Moon, astronomical history and mythologies.

Sydney Observatory astronomy experts guide you through the highlights of this month's night sky - with fascinating information about stars, constellations and planets, the Sun and the Moon, astronomical history and mythologies.

Sydney Observatory astronomy experts guide you through the highlights of this month's night sky - with fascinating information about stars, constellations and planets, the Sun and the Moon, astronomical history and mythologies.