Sydney Observatory night sky map

A map for each month of the year, to help you learn about the night sky
August 2014
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 August 2014 at about 7:30 pm (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
CANES VENATICI
CAPRICORNUS
CARINA
CENTAURUS
CHAMAELEON
CIRCINUS
COMA BERENICES
CORONA AUSTRALIS
CORONA BOREALIS
CORVUS
CRATER
CRUX
CYGNUS
DELPHINUS
DORADO
EQUULEUS
GRUS
HERCULES
HOROLOGIUM
HYDRA
HYDRUS
INDUS
LIBRA
LUPUS
LYRA
MENSA
MICROSCOPIUM
MUSCA
NORMA
OCTANS
OPHIUCHUS
PAVO
PHOENIX
PISCIS AUSTRINUS
PUPPIS
PYXIS
RETICULUM
SAGITTA
SAGITTARIUS
SCORPIUS
SCULPTOR
SCUTUM
SERPENS
TELESCOPIUM
TRIANGULUM AUSTRALE
TUCANA
VELA
VIRGO
VOLANS
VULPECULA
SERPENS
Achernar
Alpha Centauri
Altair
Antares
Arcturus
Canopus
Deneb
Hadar
Mimosa
Spica
Vega
Zubenelgenubi
N o r t h
N
E
E
a
s
t
S
E
South
S
W
W
e
s
t
N
W


Mars and Saturn are high in the sky in Libra, with the planets closest on the 25th and 26th. The best time to view the Moon with
a small telescope or binoculars is a few days either side of the first quarter Moon on the 4th. High in the sky are the
constellations Scorpius (the Scorpion) and Crux (the Southern Cross). The Southern Cross is easily located using the two
nearby Pointer stars. The Pointer star Alpha Centauri is the nearest star system to the Sun. Near the end of the Scorpions tail is
the unofficial constellation of the Teapot in Sagittarius.



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 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
1
st
magnitude
2
nd

3
rd
4
th

Moon phase
First quarter: 04th
Full moon: 11th
Last quarter: 17th
New moon: 26th

Chart key
Bright star
Faint star
Ecliptic
Milky Way
Planet
LMC or Large Magellanic Cloud
SMC or Small Magellanic Cloud
P
OCTANS
SOUTHERN CROSS
Zubeneschamali
LIBRA
Omega Centauri
Centaurus A
CRUX
POINTERS
CENTAURUS
Coalsack
Centre of the Galaxy
Antares
M22
SAGITTARIUS
SCORPIUS Teapot
M4
M7
Jewel Box
Zubenelgenubi
First quarter
Moon on 4th
M6


Mimosa
NGC 6231
47 Tucanae
Barnards star
Saturn
Venus
1 August
Alpha Centauri
P
P
Mars