Sydney Observatory night sky map

A map for each month of the year, to help you learn about the night sky
September 2014
www.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 Cel estial 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
N o r t h
N
E
E
a
s
t
S
E
South
S
W
W
e
s
t
N
W


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 Years 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
1
st
magnitude
2
nd

3
rd
4
th

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
INDUS
GRUS
PISCES
APUS
POINTERS
Alpha Centauri
Beta Centauri
SAGITTARIUS
South Celestial Pole
MUSCA
LYRA
Centre of the Galaxy
Coalsack
Mercury on 26th
P
P
LIBRA
P
Mars
M7
M6
Moon on 26th
P
Mercury on 20th or 21st