Astroblog

Eastern morning sky on Wednesday, March 18  as seen from Adelaide at 6:37 ACDST (45 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).  Mars, the crescent Moon and Mercury form a triangle above the horizon. The inset is the binocular view a this time. Mars and Mercury are at their closest on the 16th. Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (45 minutes before sunrise)

North-western sky on Thursday, March 26  as seen from Adelaide at 20:43 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Jupiter is close to the waxing Moon, forming a narrow triangle with Castor and Pollux and a broad triangle with the bright stars Procyon and Betelgeuse.The inset is the telescopic view Jupiter at this time. Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset)

Sky looking North-east on Tuesday March 3 as seen from Adelaide at 21:18 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). 

The rising full Moon is partially eclipsed. Totality will start at 22:33 and be at maximum eclipse at 23:03. Other states will see similar views at the equivalent local times. The inset show the binocular view at this time. 

Detailed times for selected cites and viewing charts are at my Lunar Eclipse page. 

 

 

 

 

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

Stars:

North-Eastern sky as seen from Adelaide at midnight1 ACDST on March 12. Similar views will been seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click to embiggen)	Southern sky as seen from Adelaide at 21:05 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset). Similar views will been seen elsewhere in Australia 90 minutes after sunset. Omega Centauri is indicated by the brackets, The inset is the binocular view of Omega Centauri  at this time (click to embiggen)

March nights see the summer constellations of Orion the Hunter and Canis major (Orion’s hunting dog) head towards the western horizon, while Orion’s nemesis, Scorpius the Scorpion, rises in the east.
If you face east around midnight, the distinctive curled shape of Scorpius lies curled above the horizon. Slightly less romantically, it looks like one of those “use no hooks” signs on its side.  

In Greek mythology, Scorpius was a scorpion sent to kill Orion for his hubris. Indigenous Australians interpreted the constellation in a variety of ways. The sting of Scorpius the Scorpion (the curled “hook”) is variously the head of Ingalpir, the crocodile, Karick Karick a pair of hawks or a fringe of feathers around the wings of dark constellation the Emu. The body of the Scorpion contains the bright star Antares the “rival of Mars”. 

Omega Centauri, a magnificent globular cluster, will be readily visible late in the evening forming a triangle with the Southern cross and pointers.

Mira:

North western sky as seen from Adelaide at 21:05 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset) on March 11, when the Moon has not yet risen. Similar views will been seen elsewhere in Australia 90 minutes after sunset. The variable star Mira is above the western horizon and indicated by the jagged circle. The inset is the binocular view of the Mira and the two obvious stars Zeta and Chi Ceti at this time (click to embiggen).

The location of Uranus is indicated by the smooth circle. 

 
The variable star Mira is now around magnitude 3.5, and should be readily visible when the moon is out of the way. 

Labels: binocular, Monthly sky, unaided eye

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 1:18 am 0 comments

North-western sky on the evening of Saturday, February 28 as seen from Adelaide at 20:20 ACDST (30 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).	Western sky on the evening of Saturday, February 28 as seen from Los Angeles at 18:29 local time (30 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

Despite a variety of claims on the internet, you won't be able to see all 6 planets lined up on February 28, 2026 (UPDATE).

The good news is that they are lined up. The bad news is that they are too deep in the twilight to see. 

At civil twilight, 30 minutes after sunset, if you have a clear, level, unobstructed horizon, Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Neptune are invisible in the twilight glow (Mercury has set in the southern hemisphere), as is Uranus. Jupiter *might* just be visible. 

Venus may be visible in binoculars (or if you have very good eyesight) in the Northern hemisphere low in the twilight if the horizon conditions are clear. UDPATE: In some places in the Northern hemisphere, Venus may be high enough to see at nautical twilight. Daniel Fischer was able to image it at nautical twilight in Bochum in the EU https://scicomm.xyz/@cosmos4u/116133837700056539 .

60 minutes later at astronomical twilight, when the sky is darker, Venus and Saturn have set (well they are right on the horizon in the Northern Hemisphere and still is high in some places see update above) and Uranus will be just visible in binoculars (Jupiter will be well visible).

Labels: lineup, Mercury, Neptune, public outreach, Saturn, Venus

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 7:32 am 1 comments

The Full Moon is Tuesday March 3. There is a total lunar eclipse in the evening at this time. Saturn is lost in the twilight. Jupiter dominates the northern sky. It forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. Jupiter is close to the waxing moon on the 27th. Uranus can be seen in binoculars above the Pleiades cluster. The variable star Mira may be visible in the evening. 

The Full Moon is Tuesday March 3. There is a total lunar eclipse in the evening at this time.

North-western sky on the evening of Saturday, February 28 as seen from Adelaide at 21:22 ACDST ( 90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

The planet Uranus is theoretically visible to the unaided eye from Dark sky locations, as it is magnitude 5.7, but it is best seen with binoculars. The beautiful and obvious Pleiades cluster is the signpost to the faint planet. The waxing moon will make seeing Uranus more difficult.

The variable star Mira is brightening and should be visible now, but the nearly full moon may mean you need binoculars to identify it (the barred circle in the image) 

The inset is the binocular view of the Pleiades and Uranus at this time. 

   

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

 

North-eastern sky on Friday, February 27  as seen from Adelaide at 21:24 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on January the 10th, but will be bright for many months. Jupiter forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. Jupiter is close to the waxing Moon.

 

 

The inset shows the telescopic view of Jupiter at this time.   

 

    

 

 

 

 

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

 

Sky looking North-east on Tuesday March 3 as seen from Adelaide at 21:18 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). 

The rising full Moon is partially eclipsed. Totality will start at 22:33 and be at maximum eclipse at 23:03. Other states will see similar views at the equivalent local times. The inset show the binocular view at this time. 

Detailed times for selected cites and viewing charts are at my Lunar Eclipse page. 

 

 

 

 

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

Whole sky on Saturday, February 28  as seen from Adelaide at 21:22 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Jupiter is prominent in the north.

 

Bright Canopus and Sirius are near the Zenith. Orion is now high in the north-western sky. 

 

The Southern Cross is rising in the Southern sky.  The moon is nearly full and the fainter clusters and nebula are hard to see.    

 

 

 

   

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

Labels: weekly sky

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 1:52 am 1 comments

North-eastern horizon as seen from Sydney on 3 March at 22:34 AEDST. The Moon is at  totality. The inset shows the telescopic/binocular view at this time. Click to embiggen	North-eastern as seen from Adelaide on 3 March at 22:03 ACDST. The Moon is at totality. The inset shows the telescopic/binocular view at this time. Click to embiggen	Eastern horizon as seen from Perth on 3 March at 19:34 AWST. The Moon is at  totality. The inset shows the telescopic/binocular view at this time. Click to embiggen

On the evening of  Tuesday, March the 3rd there is a nice total eclipse, the last total eclipse in Australia until December 2028 (which is in the early morning). Fortunately, the eclipse starts in the early evening, and is very convenient, especially if you have young children. This is a nice eclipse with totality lasting 59 minutes. 

Times for the eclipse at cities around Australia are below. Western Australia sees the moon rise in the twilight almost completely eclipsed, Central states see the eclipse end around Nautical twilight as the sky is beginning to darken. For the East coast sees the eclipse start either when the sky is fully dark or twilight is just ending. Everywhere will be able to see totality and eclipse end.

You will see some sites calling this a "blood Moon", The Moon does not turn the colour of blood but will go a deep copper colour due to the refraction of red light through our atmosphere.

Labels: eclipse, lunar eclipse, unaided eye

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 12:54 am 0 comments

The First Quarter Moon is Tuesday February 24. The Lunar X can bee seen at First Quarter. Saturn is low in the western twilight. Saturn is near the thin crescent Moon on the 20th. Jupiter dominates the northern sky. It forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. Uranus can be seen in binoculars above the Pleiades cluster. The variable star Mira may be visible in the evening. 

The First Quarter Moon is Tuesday February 24. Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) on the 25th.

North-western sky on the evening of Saturday, February 21 as seen from Adelaide at 21:32 ACDST ( 90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

The planet Uranus is theoretically visible to the unaided eye from Dark sky locations, as it is magnitude 5.7, but it is best seen with binoculars. The beautiful and obvious Pleiades cluster is the signpost to the faint planet. The waxing moon will not interfere until later in the week. 

The inset is the binocular view of the Pleiades and Uranus at this time. 

   

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

 

Western sky on Friday, February 20  as seen from Adelaide at 20:45 ACDST (45 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Saturn is low in the western twilight. 

 

 

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (45 minutes after sunset). 

 

North-eastern sky on Saturday, February 21  as seen from Adelaide at 21:32 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on January the 10th, but will be bright for many months. Jupiter forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. 

 

 

The inset shows the telescopic view of Jupiter at this time.   

 

    

 

 

 

 

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

 

Sky looking North-west on Tuesday February 24 as seen from Adelaide at 20:56 ACDST (60 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). 

The First Quarter Moon is clearly visible above the horizon close to he Pleiades cluster. the Lunar X and V may bee seen in a telescope or strong binoculars. The insets show the telescopic and binocular views at this time. 

 

 

 

 

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

Whole sky on Saturday, February 14  as seen from Adelaide at 21:52 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Saturn has set. Jupiter is prominent in the north.

 

Bright Canopus and Sirius are near the Zenith. Orion is now high in the north-western sky. 

 

The Southern Cross is low in the Southern sky.  The moon is waxing and the fainter clusters and nebula are becoming harder to see.    

 

 

 

   

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

Labels: weekly sky

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 1:09 am 0 comments

The New Moon is Tuesday February 17. Saturn is low in the western sky. Jupiter is rising before astronomical twilight and dominates the northern sky. It forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. Uranus can be seen in binoculars above the Pleiades cluster. Comet C/2024 E1 Wierzchos may be visible in binoculars. The variable star Mira may be visible in the evening. 

The New Moon is Monday February 17. 

North-western sky on the evening of Saturday, February 14 as seen from Adelaide at 21:52 ACDST ( 90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

The planet Uranus is theoretically visible to the unaided eye from Dark sky locations, as it is magnitude 5.7, but it is best seen with binoculars. The beautiful and obvious Pleiades cluster is the signpost to the faint planet. The waning moon will not interfere in the early evening. 

The inset is the binocular view of the Pleiades and Uranus at this time. 

   

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

 

Western sky on Saturday, February 14  as seen from Adelaide at 21:17 ACDST (60 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Saturn is lowering in the west. 

 

The inset shows the telescopic view of Saturn at this time.  

 

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

North-eastern sky on Saturday, February 14  as seen from Adelaide at 21:52 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on January the 10th, but will be bright for many months. Jupiter forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. 

 

 

The inset shows the telescopic view of Jupiter at this time.   

 

    

 

 

 

 

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

 

Western sky on Saturday, February 14 as seen from Adelaide at 21:52 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Saturn is setting in the west. Comet C/2024 E1 Wierzchos is close to the constellation of the Phoenix. 

 

Comet C/2024 E1 Wierzchos was predicted to be bright, but has remained dim. The comet will be higher in the evening skies when the sky is fully dark and the waning  moon is rising well after the Comet has set. It may be visible in binoculars at this time. 

the circle shows the location of the variable star Mira, which is brightening, it should be visible to the unaided eye about now. 

 

The inset shows the binocular view of the comet at this this time.

 

  

 

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

 

Whole sky on Saturday, February 14  as seen from Adelaide at 21:52 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Saturn is setting in the northwest. Jupiter is rising in the northeast.

 

Bright Canopus and Sirius are near the Zenith. Orion is now high in the north-western sky. 

 

The Southern Cross is low in the Southern sky.  The moon is waning and the fainter clusters and nebula are becoming easier to see.    

 

 

 

   

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

Labels: weekly sky

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 6:00 pm 0 comments

The Last Quarter Moon is Monday February 9. Saturn is low in the western sky. Jupiter is rising before astronomical twilight and dominates the northern sky. It forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. Uranus can be seen in binoculars above the Pleiades cluster. Comet C/2024 E1 Wierzchos may be visible in binoculars. The variable star Mira may be visible in the evening. 

The Last Quarter Moon is Monday February 9. The Moon is at apogee (when it is furthest from Earth) on the 11th.

North-western sky on the evening of Saturday, February 7 as seen from Adelaide at 21:52 ACDST ( 90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

The planet Uranus is theoretically visible to the unaided eye from Dark sky locations, as it is magnitude 5.7, but it is best seen with binoculars. The beautiful and obvious Pleiades cluster is the signpost to the faint planet. The waning moon will not interfere in the early evening. 

The inset is the binocular view of the Pleiades and Uranus at this time. 

   

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

 

Western sky on Saturday, February 7  as seen from Adelaide at 21:17 ACDST (60 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Saturn is lowering in the west. 

 

The inset shows the telescopic view of Saturn at this time.  

 

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

North-eastern sky on Saturday, February 7  as seen from Adelaide at 21:52 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 10th, but will be bright for many months. Jupiter forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. 

 

 

The inset shows the telescopic view of Jupiter at this time.   

 

    

 

 

 

 

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

 

Western sky on Saturday, February 7 as seen from Adelaide at 21:52 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Saturn is setting in the west. Comet C/2024 E1 Wierzchos is close to the constellation of the Phoenix. 

 

Comet C/2024 E1 Wierzchos was predicted to be bright, but has remained dim. The comet will be higher in the evening skies when the sky is fully dark and the waning  moon is rising well after the Comet has set. It may be visible in binoculars at this time. 

the circle shows the location of the variable star Mira, which is brightening, it should be visible to the unaided eye about now. 

 

The inset shows the binocular view of the comet at this this time.

 

  

 

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

 

Whole sky on Saturday, February 7  as seen from Adelaide at 21:52 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Saturn is setting in the northwest. Jupiter is rising in the northeast.

 

Bright Canopus and Sirius are near the Zenith. Orion is now high in the north-western sky. 

 

The Southern Cross is low in the Southern sky.  The moon is waning and the fainter clusters and nebula are becoming easier to see.    

 

 

 

   

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

Labels: weekly sky

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 6:00 pm 0 comments

Northern sky on Friday, February 27  as seen from Adelaide at 21:22 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Jupiter is close to the nearly full Moon, forming a narrow triangle with Castor and Pollux and a broad triangle with the bright stars Procyon and Betelgeuse. 

The First Quarter Moon is clearly visible above the horizon close to he Pleiades cluster. the Lunar X and V may bee seen in a telescope or strong binoculars. The insets show the telescopic and binocular views at this time. 

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

Stars:

North western sky as seen from Adelaide at 21:41 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset). Similar views will been seen elsewhere in Australia 90 minutes after sunset. The inset is the binocular view of the Pleides and Uranus at this time (click to embiggen)	Southern sky as seen from Adelaide at 21:41 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset). Similar views will been seen elsewhere in Australia 90 minutes after sunset. Theta Carina is indicated by the circle, The inset is the binocular view of the the Southern Pleiades and Theta Carina  at this time (click to embiggen)

February nights see the summer constellations of Taurus the Bull, Orion the Hunter and Canis major (Orion’s hunting dog) slip into the north-western sky.

Orion is still visible,  as are the Pleiades, a close grouping of six stars.   A line drawn westward through Betelgeuse, the red star that forms the shoulder of Orion, and Aldebaran brings you to the Pleiades.

Although faint, the Pleiades is pretty to the unaided eye, and delightful in binoculars. If you’re fortunate enough to have a decent telescope, you’ll be able to see a hint of the nebulous cloud that makes photographs of this cluster an astronomical icon. 

The Pleiades is also known as the Seven Sisters in European culture.  Interestingly, many Indigenous Australian groups also saw the cluster as women. The Boorong people of north-western Victoria called it Larnankurrk and described it as a group of women watching Kulkunbulla (the two dancing youths represented by the Saucepan of Orion’s belt).   However, the people of the Lake Albert area saw the Pleiades as a clutch of turkey eggs.

In February, you can also see a constellation called the “Southern Pleiades” (it’s only visible in the southern hemisphere).  It’s a lot less obvious to the unaided eye than the Pleiades themselves, but is truly beautiful in binoculars or a small telescope.  It’s made up of a cluster of stars around theta Carina, which also glories in the name Vathorz Posterior.

To find this small gem, look up from Acrux, the brightest star in the Southern Cross. The second bright star you come to is surrounded by a halo of dim stars, this is the Southern Pleiades. 
You can easily see the Pleiades and the Southern Pleiades from around an hour after sunset as they emerge from the twilight.

 As the night progresses the Pleiades sink into the west. In contrast, the Southern Pleiades rise higher above the southern horizon as February progresses but they will become harder to see due to moonlight.  

Mira:

 
The variable star Mira (omicron Ceti) should start to brighten in February, rising from below unaided eye visibility to around magnitude 4 before peaking in March at around magnitude 3. It will be seen low above the western horizon when the sky is fully dark. 

Labels: binoculars, Monthly sky, unaided eye

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 7:27 pm 0 comments