Monday, April 27, 2026
Thursday April 30 to Thursday May 7
The Full Moon is Saturday May 2. Venus climbs higher in the twilight. Jupiter dominates the north-western sky. In the morning Saturn, Mars and Mercury form a line. On the 30th comet C/2025 R3 PANSTARS may be seen low in the western evening twilight. Eta Aquariid meteor shower 6-7th May.
The Full Moon is Saturday May 2. The Moon is at apogee, when it is furthest from the Earth, on May 5.
Saturn, Mars, and Mercury form a line in the twilight.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise).
Venus is visible above the western horizon with Jupiter nearby, you may need a level, unobscured horizon to see it.
C/2025 R3 may be visible, possibly in binoculars
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset).
Comet C/2025 R3 has survived perihelion so we have a chance to view it after it is closest to the earth on April 27.
It may be visible in Australia from the 27th if the brightest predictions are correct (probably not) and from the 30th if more modest predictions are correct. The comet is low in the twilight and may fade substantially before it gets high enough in dark skies to see
properly. Nonetheless, at the very least it will be a nice little binocular comet.
A printable B&W spotters chart and viewing guides are at my comet C/2025 R3 viewing page.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset).
The eta Aquariid meteor shower, which is produced by the debris from Halley’s Comet, should peak on May 7 (strictly speaking May 6, 3UT). This year the waning gibbous moon interferes. Dark sky sites could expect to see meteor every 6 minutes.
Mercury is sinking in the morning twilight, forming a line with Saturn and Mars .
Venus climbs higher in the evening twilight.
Mars is climbing in the twilight above Mercury.
Jupiter is seen most of the evening, setting before midnight. Jupiter forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux.
Saturn is climbing in the twilight above Mars and Mercury.
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/
Labels: weekly sky
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