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

September 2014www.sydneyobservatory.com.au

This star chart shows the stars and constellations visible in the night sky for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth for September 2014 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.

South Celestial Pole

LMC

SMC

Centre of the Galaxy

ANTLIA

APUS

AQUARIUS

AQUILA

ARA

BOOTES

CAPRICORNUS

CARINA

CENTAURUS

CETUS

CHAMAELEON

CIRCINUS

CORONA AUSTRALIS

CORONA BOREALIS

CORVUS

CRUX

CYGNUS

DELPHINUS

DORADO

EQUULEUS

FORNAX

GRUS

HERCULES

HOROLOGIUM

HYDRUS

INDUS

LACERTA

LIBRA

LUPUS

LYRA

MENSA

MICROSCOPIUM

MUSCA

NORMA

OCTANS

OPHIUCHUS

PAVO

PEGASUS

PHOENIX

PICTOR

PISCIS AUSTRINUS

RETICULUM

SAGITTA

SAGITTARIUS

SCORPIUS

SCULPTOR

SCUTUM

SERPENS

TELESCOPIUM

TRIANGULUM AUSTRALE

TUCANA

VELA

VIRGO

VOLANS

VULPECULA

SERPENS

Achernar

Alpha Centauri

Altair

Antares

Arcturus

C

Deneb

Hadar

Mimosa

Spica

Vega

Zubenelgenubi

North

NE

Ea

st

SE

South

SWW

est

NW

The spring equinox occurs on the 23rd when the length of day and night is almost equal, about 12 hours each. Saturn and Mars are visible in the west. On the 26th at 7pm the crescent Moon is near Mercury. On the 20th and 21st Mercury is close to the bright star Spica in Virgo. The best time to see the Moon using binoculars or a small telescope is a few days either side of the first quarter Moon on the 2nd. To the south-west is Crux (the Southern Cross) easily located using the two nearby stars called the Pointers. In the centre of the sky 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 Year’s Eve. Open Monday to Saturday for night sessions (times vary depending on the season) for sky viewing through one of our telescopes (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 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. © 2014 Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney.

Star brightness Zero or brighter 1st magnitude 2nd 3rd

4th

Moon phase First quarter: 02nd

Full Moon: 09th Last quarter: 16th New Moon: 24th

Saturn

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

P

SOUTHERN CROSS

Zubeneschamali

CRUX

CENTAURUS

Antares

SCORPIUS

Jewel Box

Moon on 2nd

Beta Crucis

Fomalhaut

PISCES AUSTRINUS

INDUSGRUS

PISCES

APUS

POINTERS

Alpha Centauri

Beta Centauri

SAGITTARIUS

South Celestial PoleMUSCA

LYRA

Centre of the Galaxy

Coalsack

Mercury on 26th

P P

LIBRA

PMars

M7 M6

Moon on 26th

P Mercury on 20th or 21st