Sydney Observatory night sky map

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

July 2012
www.sydneyobservatory.com

The star chart shows the stars and constellations visible in the night sky for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth for July 2012 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. URSA MAJOR

Star brightness
Zero or brighter 1st magnitude 2nd 3rd LYRA 4th
NE

Vega

HERCULES

BOOTES CORONA BOREALIS BOOTES CORONA BOREALIS

Arcturus

Arcturus

COMA BERENICES

SAGITTA

SERPENS

LEO

Regulus
Altair

Saturn
OPHIUCHUS

Moon on 26th LIBRA Zubenelgenubi Zubenelgenubi

VIRGO Spica

Mars
CORVUS CRATER SEXTANS

AQUILA

SCUTUM

SERPENS

Centre of the Galaxy

SCORPIUS SCORPIUS
SAGITTARIUS LUPUS HYDRA

NORMA TEA POT

CORONA AUSTRALIS NORMA Alpha Centauri

CENTAURUS CENTAURUS Centauri Omega

ANTLIA SOUTHERN CROSS

POINTERSHadar ARA CIRCINUS Alpha Centauri AUSTRALE

CAPRICORNUS TELESCOPIUM

Mimosa CRUX TRIANGULUM AUSTRALE TRIANGULUM

Proxima Centauri APUS
MUSCA

CRUX

PYXIS VELA

MICROSCOPIUM PAVO INDUS

APUS
CHAMAELEON OCTANS South Celestial Pole OCTANS CARINA VOLANS PUPPIS

PISCIS AUSTRINUS

Chart key

MENSA GRUS TUCANA

Adhara

CANIS MAJOR

SMC
HYDRUS

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

LMC
DORADO

Canopus

SW

RETICULUM Achernar

PICTOR COLUMBA

South HOROLOGIUM

This month the constellations of Scorpius (the Scorpion) and Crux (the Southern Cross) are high in the sky. The Southern Cross is easily located using the two nearby Pointer stars. The brighter of the Pointers, Alpha Centauri, is the nearest star system to the Sun. Near the end of the Scorpions tail is the unofficial constellation of the Tea Pot. On the 5th, the Earth is at its greatest distance from the Sun, a mere 152,091,221 km. Mars and Saturn are visible towards the north in the constellation Virgo. 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 26th. 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. 2012 Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney.

West

Antares

Antares

NW
LEO MINOR Regulus

North
CANES VENATICI

Moon phase
Full moon: 04th Last quarter: 11th New moon: 19th First quarter: 26th

East
SE