Thursday October 31 to Thursday November 7

The New Moon is Friday November 1. Comet C/2023 A3 is rising into darker skies, but fading and this may be the last week to see it in binoculars. Venus is leaving the the Scorpion with Mercury taking its place. Mercury is close to Delta Scorpii on the 4th and 5th. The thin crescent moon is close to Mercury on the 3rd and Venus on the 5th. Saturn is in the northern skies. Mars and Jupiter continue to draw apart. Mars forms a line with the bright stars Castor and Pollux. Mars is leaving Gemini for Cancer.

The New Moon is Friday November 1.

Western evening sky on Sunday, November 3 as seen from Adelaide at 20:47 ACDST (60 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).   

Venus is readily visible and is now visible when the sky is fully dark. Venus passing from the Scorpion in Sagittarius. Mercury is below and close to the thin crescent moon. Comet C/2023 A3 is nearby. 

You will need binoculars to see the comet. The inset is the telescopic view of Venus at this time.

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset).

 

Western evening sky on Tuesday, November 5 as seen from Adelaide at 20:49 ACDST (60 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).   

Venus is close to the thin crescent moon. Mercury is in the head of the Scorpion and close to Delta Scorpii

 

 

 

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset).

 

The northern sky at 21:21 ACDST Saturday, November 2 as seen from Adelaide (90 minutes after sunset).

 

Saturn is past opposition and is visible all night long. The inset shows the telescopic view at the time. (click to embiggen).

 

 

 

 

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

Northern morning sky on Saturday, November 2 as seen from Adelaide at 05:12 ACDST (60 minutes before sunrise), Mars and Jupiter form a line with the red star Aldebaran. Mars also forms a line with the bright stars Castor and Pollux. Mars is leaving Gemini for Cancer.

 

The inset is the telescope view of the Jupiter at this time. 

 

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise).

Eastern evening sky on Thursday, October 31 as seen from Adelaide at 21:18 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset), C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is only visible in binoculars and fading fast, this may be the last week to see it with binoculars. The chart shows the position of the comet every thirs night over the coming week.

 

Spectacular photos continue to be see, but they again are all long exposures, but still well worth viewing through binoculars. 

 

Detailed printable charts are at my comet page.

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset). 

 

Binocular view of the eastern evening sky on Thursday, October 31 as seen from Adelaide at 21:18 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset), C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS showing the Guide stars that will help you find the comet. 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

 

Whole sky on Saturday, November 2 as seen from Adelaide at 21:21 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Saturn is now above the northern horizon as Venus sets on the western horizon. Scorpius is now setting in the west with the heart of the milky way now below the zenith. The Southern Cross is low in the Southern sky.  The moon is just past new and the fainter clusters and nebula can now be readily seen.

 

 

   

 Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).

 

 

Mercury is now visible in the evening  twilight below Venus. Mercury is close to Delta Scorpii on the 4th and 5th. The thin crescent moon is close to Mercury on the 3rd and Venus on the 5th.

Venus climbs higher in the evening twilight and is readily visible in the evening twilight. Venus leaves the scorpion this week. The thin crescent moon is close to Venus on the 5th.

Mars is rising in the morning sky and near Jupiter. The pair continue to draw apart as as Mars passes through Gemini into Cancer forming a line with Castor and Pollux.

Jupiter is rising in the the morning twilight sky. Jupiter is below the red star Aldebaran forming a line with Mars. Jupiter is now rising before midnight but is best in the morning.

Saturn is high in the evening sky. Saturn is visible all night long.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.


 

Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/