Sydney Observatory Night Sky Map July 2012 a Map for Each Month of the Year, to Help You Learn About the Night Sky

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Sydney Observatory night sky map July 2012 A map for each month of the year, to help you learn about the night sky 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

h rt o N Star brightness Moon phase Full moon: 04th Zero or brighter Last quarter: 11th 1st magnitude nd New moon: 19th

2 First quarter: 26th

rd N

3 E Vega CANES VENATICI

th LYRA W 4 N BOOTES LEO MINOR CORONA BOREALIS HERCULES CORONA BOOTES BOREALIS

COMA BERENICES Arcturus Arcturus

SAGITTA SERPENS LEO

Regulus Regulus

Saturn VIRGO Altair OPHIUCHUS Moon P P on 26th Spica Mars LIBRA ZubenelgenubiZubenelgenubi CORVUS SEXTANS SERPENS CRATER

AQUILA SCUTUM E

a Antares Antares

t s

s t Centre of the Galaxy e

SCORPIUS HYDRA W LUPUS SAGITTARIUS CENTAURUS NORMA CENTAURUSOmega Centauri

TEA POT ANORMAlpha Centauri CORONA AUSTRALIS ANTLIA POINTERSHadar CRUX SOUTHERN CROSS ARA CIRCINUS  Alpha Centauri   Mimosa CRUX CAPRICORNUS TRIANGULUMTRIANGULUM AUSTRALE  TELESCOPIUM PYXIS AUSTRALE VELA MUSCA Proxima Centauri MICROSCOPIUM APUS

PAVO APUS CHAMAELEON CARINA INDUS South Celestial Pole OCTANSOCTANS VOLANS PUPPIS

PISCIS AUSTRINUS MENSA Adhara CANIS MAJOR

Chart key S GRUS E SMC LMC Canopus W Bright star TUCANA HYDRUS DORADO S Faint star Ecliptic PICTOR Milky Way RETICULUM COLUMBA P Planet Achernar PHOENIX LMC or Large Magellanic Cloud South SMC or Small Magellanic Cloud 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 Scorpion’s 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 Year’s 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.