2012 Australasian Sky Guide

DR Nick Lomb consultant curator of astronomy Sydney observatory POWERHOUSE MUSEUM Published annually since 1991 by Pow...

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DR Nick Lomb consultant curator of astronomy Sydney observatory POWERHOUSE MUSEUM

Published annually since 1991 by Powerhouse Publishing PO Box K346 Haymarket 1238 www.powerhousemuseum.com/ publications publication editor

Tracy Goulding D E S KTOP PUB L I S H I N G

Anne Slam

D i a gr a m s a nd i ll u s t r a t i o ns

Andy Chong/Picture This c o v e r D e s i gn i2i Design P R I N TI N G Ligare ISBN 978 1 86317 137 3 ISSN 1039–3048 © 2011 Trustees of the Powerhouse Museum. The Powerhouse Museum and Sydney Observatory are part of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences funded by the NSW government. This book is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review, or as otherwise permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this publication may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Inquiries should be made to the publisher.

The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance and contributions made by staff at Sydney Observatory. The original monthly sky maps were prepared by Rod Somerville using the program Skymap. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto and no responsibility or liability for error or omission is, or will, be accepted. At the time of publication, Daylight Saving Time ends in NSW, ACT, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand at 3:00 am on Sunday 1 April 2012, when clocks should be turned back to 2:00 am. Daylight Saving Time begins again at 2:00 am on Sunday 30 September 2012 in New Zealand and at 2:00 am on Sunday 7 October 2012 in the relevant Australian states (see page 26 for more details). The information in this publication has been adjusted for summer time using the above times and dates. The tide predictions for Sydney (Fort Denison) have been formatted by Powerhouse Publishing from material supplied by the National Tidal Centre (NTC). Users of these tables should be aware that the heights shown in this publication are predictions only and that the actual water level height may vary due to meteorological conditions (including barometric pressure, wind effect and storm surges) and seasonal variations. For astronomical information required for legal purposes contact: National Mapping Division Geoscience Australia GPO Box 378 Canberra ACT 2601 phone (02) 6249 9111 email [email protected]

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2012 AUSTRALASIAN SKY GUIDE

CONTENTS HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

4

THE SOUTHERN CROSS

HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2012

5

MONTHLY STARS AND

A TRANSIT AND AN ECLIPSE

6

COMING EVENTS

7

THE SOLAR SYSTEM

30

PLANETS

31

. December 2011

32

. January 2012

38

8

. February 2012

44

THE MOON

24

. March 2012

50

TIME

26

. April 2012

56

. May 2012

62

DREAMTIME ASTRONOMY

27

. June 2012

68

. July 2012

74

. August 2012

80

. September 2012

86

. October 2012

92

. November 2012

98

. December 2012

104

FURTHER INFORMATION

110

STARS AND CONSTELLATIONS

29

AMATEUR ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETIES

111

OBSERVATORIES AND PLANETARIUMS


112

3

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK Most of the astronomical information provided in this book is suitable for the whole of Australia and New Zealand. The descriptions of celestial events each month, such as the positions and movements of the planets, apply anywhere in the two countries. For local times of lunar eclipses and phases of the Moon in different time zones, just add or subtract the time difference, eg for New Zealand add two hours and for Western Australia subtract two or three (depending on daylight saving in eastern Australia).

Rise and set times The rise and set times for the Sun, Moon and planets have been calculated for Sydney, but with suitable adjustments they can provide approximate times elsewhere. If you are close to the 34° latitude of Sydney you can adjust the times very simply for your location: take the difference between Sydney’s longitude of 151.2° East and the longitude of your location (you can find this on most maps), multiply by 4 and add the result in minutes. The tide tables apply to Sydney only.

Capital cities The following corrections are based on longitude differences and allow for daylight saving. For Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland the possible errors with these adjustments will only be a few minutes. The errors will be somewhat larger for the other cities. City

Adelaide

1 January to 31 March

+20 min

1 April to 30 September 29 September to 6 October

+20 min

+20 min

7 October to 31 December

+20 min

Auckland

+26 min

+26 min

+86 min

+26 min

Brisbane

–67 min

–7 min

–7 min

–67 min

Christchurch

+34 min

+34 min

+94 min

+34 min

Darwin

–8 min

+52 min

+52 min

–8 min

Hobart

+16 min

+16 min

+16 min

+16 min

Melbourne

+25 min

+25 min

+25 min

+25 min

Perth

–39 min

+21 min

+21 min

–39 min

Wellington

+26 min

+26 min

+86 min

+26 min

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Highlights for 2012 11–15 MARCH Venus near Jupiter. The two brightest planets are close together low in the western sky after sunset (see page 52). 3–4 APRIL Venus near the Pleiades star cluster. Binoculars can provide some fine views in the north-west after sunset as the bright planet passes by the star cluster (see page 58). 23 APRIL Mercury near Uranus. This is a good opportunity to find the fainter outer planet Uranus with binoculars (see page 58). 4 JUNE Partial eclipse of the Moon. Taking place at a convenient time in the evening, over a third of the Moon’s width is immersed in the Earth’s shadow during this eclipse (see page 69). 6 JUNE Transit of Venus. Visible throughout Australia and New Zealand, this rare and significant event will not occur again until 2117 (see pages 6 & 69). 8–10 JULY Venus near Aldebaran. The bright planet passes close to the orange-coloured Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation of Taurus, providing an interesting contrast of colours (see page 76). 13–17 AUGUST Mars near Saturn. The red planet Mars near yellowish Saturn should again provide an interesting colour contrast (see page 82). 5 OCTOBER

Mercury close to Saturn.

Once again two planets are close together in the sky (see page 94). 14 NOVEMBER

Total eclipse of the

Sun. Visible from northern Australia, this is the first total eclipse to be seen from Australia since 2002 (see pages 6 & 99). 14 DECEMBER G e m i n i d m e t e o r shower. This is a favourable opportunity

to see one of the year’s best meteor showers without the Moon brightening the sky (see page 105).

The solar eclipse of 4 December 2002 as seen from Woomera, South Australia. With its disc covered by the Moon, the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, comes into view. On 14 November there is another opportunity to see the eclipsed Sun from Australia. Photo Nick Lomb


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A tr ansit and an eclipse 6 JUNE Transit of Venus. People on the east coast of Australia and in New Zealand will be in the ideal viewing spot to see the rare sight of Venus crossing the Sun. They will be able to see the event from beginning to end, while for Western Australians the transit will already be in progress at sunrise. From Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney, Venus will first appear to touch the Sun’s disc at 8:16 am Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) and then move across the disc as a small black dot until it leaves the Sun at 2:44 pm or 2:45 pm, depending on location. From Adelaide and Darwin, the transit begins at 7:46 am and 7:45 am ACST, respectively, and ends at 2:15 pm and 2:16 pm, respectively. From Auckland the transit begins at 10:16 am NZST and ends at 4:43 pm, with similar times for the rest of the country.

For more information and safety precautions see ASA Fact Sheet No 24 at www.astronomy.org.au. 14 NOVEMBER Total eclipse of the Sun. The eclipse will begin at sunrise in the north of Australia in Arnhem Land and cross Cape York before moving out into the Pacific (see diagram on page 7). Cairns in North Queensland is on the path of totality and this city and the surrounding region will provide the best locations to view the eclipse, weather permitting. From Cairns totality begins at 6:39 am AEST and lasts two minutes, occurring with the Sun low above the horizon.

The rest of Australia and New Zealand will experience a partial eclipse of the Sun at sunrise or later in the morning. From Brisbane 84% of the Sun’s width will be covered by the Moon, from Sydney 67%, from Melbourne 52%, from Hobart 45% and from Adelaide 52%. From both Darwin and Perth the eclipse will start at sunrise, with 98% of the Sun’s width covered from Darwin and 41% from Perth. From New Zealand the fraction of the Sun’s width covered ranges from 87% in Auckland to 67% at Christchurch. For more information and safety precautions see ASA Fact Sheet No 23 at www.astronomy.org.au.

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COMING EVENTS 31 JULY 2018 Favourable opposition of Mars. Oppositions of Mars, when the red planet is relatively close to Earth, occur approximately every two years. However, favourable oppositions, when Mars is exceptionally close, are rarer. This will be the first favourable opposition since August 2003. At its closest Mars will be 57.6 million km away, with the planet appearing at 97 per cent of the size seen in 2003. 22 JULY 2028 Total eclipse of the Sun. On this date Sydneysiders

will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness a fully eclipsed Sun from their own backyards. The Moon’s shadow will cut across the continent from northwest Australia to Sydney and then pass across the Tasman Sea to the The tracks across Australia of the southern part of New Zealand, solar eclipses of 2012 and 2028. passing directly over the city of Drawing by Martin Anderson, Sydney Observatory Dunedin. Viewed from Sydney, the Moon will begin to block the Sun from 12:41 AEST, with almost four minutes of totality starting at 1:59 pm. 14 APRIL 2029 Close pass by asteroid. (99942) Apophis is a rock, 250 m wide, that circles the Sun mainly between the paths of Venus and the Earth. On the morning of 14 April Apophis will make an exceptionally close pass of the Earth at a distance from the surface of about 40 000 km, which is approximately the height of communication satellites. Though the closest approach will not be visible from Australia or New Zealand, in the hours before dawn there will be a good view of it moving rapidly across the sky. 8 SEPTEMBER 2040 Planetary grouping. From our changing vantage point as the Earth circles the Sun, we see the planets take up different patterns along the ecliptic (see page 31). Occasionally they appear close together in the sky. At this exceptionally close line-up, all five naked-eye planets will be less than 10° apart and will be easily visible in the western sky after sunset.


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THE SOLAR SYSTEM The Sun Our nearest star is the Sun. It is the centre of our solar system and provides heat and light for the planets, asteroids and other objects that circle around it. Despite playing such a critical role in our solar system, the Sun is in fact a fairly average type of star, only one of over 100 billion in the Milky Way galaxy. The Sun is an enormous ball of gas, mainly hydrogen and helium, with no solid centre or surface. In its very hot centre regions, hydrogen nuclei (hydrogen atoms without the surrounding electrons) come together to form helium nuclei (helium atoms without the surrounding electrons). As each helium nucleus has slightly less mass than the four hydrogen nuclei that formed it, energy is released according to Einstein’s famous formula, E = mc2 where E is energy, m is the mass loss and c is the speed of light. The energy slowly makes its way outwards from the centre. It is initially transferred in the form of radiation like the heat from an electric bar radiator, while closer to the surface the transfer is by cells of hot gas rising, cooling and then sinking. On its visible surface the Sun often shows dark spots. These sunspots are regions where strong magnetic fields inhibit the upward flow of heat and are therefore cooler and darker than the rest of the surface. Sunspots are only one example of activity on the Sun: huge explosions called flares release strong bursts of radiation, while coronal mass ejections throw large clouds of fast atomic particles into space. THE SUN FACTS Temperature of visible surface: 5500°C Temperature at centre: 157 million °C Diameter: 1.391 million km Period to turn around axis: 25 days (equator) Number of known planets: 8

Large sunspots in a row on the Sun on 1 August 2011. Photo courtesy SDO/HMI

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Close-up of a large sunspot group near the edge of the Sun on 7 August 2011. The size of the dark middle part (the umbra) of the spot on the right is about the size of the Earth. Photo courtesy SDO/HMI

Update: After an exceptionally long minimum in its 11-year

sunspot cycle, there is now a flurry of activity on the Sun. During 2011 astronomers have observed large sunspots, coronal mass ejections and strong flares. Up to mid-August there had been three giant X-class flares, occurring on 15 February, 9 March and 9 August. The intensity of flares are measured in X-rays by satellites and divided into the classes C, M, and X (the most intense). Coronal mass ejections and flares can disrupt communication on Earth and damage spacecraft as well as posing a health risk for astronauts. It is important to try to predict the Sun’s cycle of activity in advance so as to provide the opportunity to plan for possible adverse events. The latest prediction for the current sunspot cycle, known as cycle 24, is that it will peak in June 2013 with a record low intensity. Scientists are also trying to predict the next solar cycle, cycle 25. Unusual results have been obtained with a number of observing techniques, including measuring the vibrations of the Sun’s surface and observing the Sun’s hot outer atmosphere, the corona. These lines of research suggest that sunspot cycle 25 may also be of very low intensity, if it happens at all.


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Mercury The planet Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and is named after the swift-footed messenger to the gods of Roman mythology. Of the planets that are visible with the unaided eye, Mercury is the hardest to see. This is because it always appears near the Sun and is often lost in its glare. We can only see Mercury when it is low on the horizon, just before sunrise or just after sunset. A strange fact about Mercury is that its day, the time from one sunrise to the next, is twice as long as its year, the time it takes to travel around the Sun. Because Mercury is so close to the Sun, it is extremely hot — up to 430°C on the side facing the Sun. But on the side facing away from the Sun the temperature falls to about –170°C. These temperature extremes are caused by the lack of a proper atmosphere. In January 2008 NASA’s Messenger spacecraft flew by Mercury for the first time since Mariner 10’s mission in 1975. Data collected by Messenger shows that lava ejected from volcanic vents is likely to have played a role in forming the planet’s surface. Scientists located a number of volcanic vents along the edges of the giant 1500-km wide Caloris impact basin. Messenger’s images again confirm that the surface is crossed by hundreds of long cliffs called rupes (the Latin word for cliff). Rupes indicate faults in the crust of the planet caused by the contraction of the surface. Mercury has an iron core that makes up about 60 per cent of its mass. It appears that the planet shrunk due to the cooling of this large core. Mercury facts Diameter: 4878 km Distance from Sun: 58 million km Period to travel around Sun: 88 days Period to turn around axis: 59 days Number of known satellites: 0 Mercury’s southern hemisphere was imaged by the Messenger spacecraft on 28 June 2011. The large Rembrandt impact basin is visible on the lower left. Courtesy NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

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Update: The Messenger spacecraft

successfully started circling Mercury o n 1 8 March 2011. After the completion of engineering tests, the spacecraft began imaging the planet from orbit 11 days later. Since then it has taken tens of thousands of new images of the surface of the planet. One of the images recorded was of the large basin, 715 km in diameter, named after the 17th century Dutch painter Rembrandt. Rembrandt is cut by a 1000 km long rupe, longer than any other so far seen on Mercury. Scientists have estimated that the age of the basin is 3.9 billion years, based on the number of craters made by subsequent smaller impacts on its rim.

A high resolution view of the 24-km wide crater Xiao Zhao taken by Messenger on 11 July 2011. It is a relatively recent crater with extensive rays of material, thrown out by the impact that formed it, stretching over the surrounding area. Courtesy NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

High-resolution images of the floors of craters have found groups of odd-shaped cavities bordered by highly reflecting material. As yet there is no indication of how these originated. Clues may come from an instrument on board Messenger, which uses X-rays to analyse what minerals make up the surface. Early indications are that Mercury’s surface is not dominated by the type of rocks formed from cooling lava that dominate the surface of the Moon. Instead there are significant amounts of sulphur present. Another instrument on the spacecraft making interesting observations is the altimeter, which measures the heights of features on the planet by firing a laser beam and timing how long it takes to return after reflection from the surface. Measurements of the depth of craters near the north and south poles so far support the idea that they are deep enough to permanently shade any water or other types of ices that they may hold from the warming rays of sunlight.


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Venus Venus, named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty, is the brightest object in the night sky, after the Moon. People often call Venus the Morning or the Evening star because it is always seen just before sunrise in the east, or just after sunset in the west. The best time to examine Venus through a telescope is just after sunset at twilight. Later, when the sky becomes darker, Venus appears so bright that sometimes our eyes cannot focus on it properly. No surface features can be seen due to the planet’s clouds, but we can see phases like those on the Moon. This is because Venus is always closer to the Sun than the Earth. Phases on Venus were first discovered by the Italian astronomer Galileo in 1610 and helped to convince him of the then revolutionary idea that the Earth circled the Sun. Venus has a thick atmosphere of mainly carbon dioxide with clouds of sulphuric acid. This dense atmosphere hides the surface from view and explains why Venus has the highest surface temperature of all the planets, 470°C. The atmosphere acts like a greenhouse, letting the Sun’s radiation in but not letting the heat back out. (Increasing levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere are concerning scientists about a ‘greenhouse effect’ on Earth.) One way of examining the surface of Venus is by using radar. This was done by the Magellan spacecraft, which mapped the planet during 1990–94. Scientists have named the newly discovered features after famous women of history and mythology. For example, the planet has a crater called Cleopatra and a large land mass called Aphrodite. Venus facts Diameter: 12 104 km Distance from Sun: 108 million km Period to travel around Sun: 225 days Period to turn around axis: 243 days Number of known satellites: 0

Venus imaged by the Messenger spacecraft on 5 June 2007. Courtesy NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

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Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun. With oxygen in its atmosphere and water in its rivers and oceans, it has ideal conditions for life. Although some scientists think that Mars may have harboured primitive bacteria in the distant past, Earth is still the only planet in the solar system which we know to have life. Earth moves around the Sun in a giant, nearly circular path 300 million km wide. The path is slightly elongated — Earth is 3 per cent closer to the Sun in the Australian summer than in winter. This does not cause summer or winter! It has a minimal effect compared to the effect of the tilt of the Earth, which is the real cause of the seasons. In summer the southern part of the globe is tilted towards the Sun, while in winter it is tilted away from the Sun. Although the only part of Earth that we can study directly is its surface, we do have a good idea of what is inside. Earthquakes create vibrations which are picked up at a number of observatories dotted around the surface of the globe, allowing scientists to study the planet’s interior. It seems that at the centre there is a solid core mainly made of iron. Around it is an outer core mainly made of liquid iron. Electric currents in this liquid core give rise to Earth’s magnetic field and make a compass point in the right direction. On the Earth’s surface are continents and oceans. The continents are slowly shifting relative to each other as they are supported by a system of moving plates. Boundaries between these plates are zones with increased risk of earthquakes. A collision between the Pacific and the Australian plates led to the devastating Christchurch earthquake of 22 February 2011. EARTH FACTS Diameter: 12 756 km Distance from Sun: 150 million km Period to travel around Sun: 365 days Period to turn around axis: 24 hours Number of known satellites: 1

Galileo spacecraft image of Earth showing Australia. Courtesy NASA


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Mars Because of its orange-red appearance in the night sky, Mars is often called the ‘red planet’. It derives its name from the Roman god of war. Mars is similar to Earth in a number of ways. A day on Mars is about the same length as a day on Earth. The tilt of Mars’ axis of rotation is also about the same as Earth’s — it therefore has similar seasons. Using a telescope it is possible to see that the surface of Mars goes through changes in step with the change of seasons. This led people in the past to believe (incorrectly) that Mars had life, perhaps even a thriving civilisation. Today we know these changes are due to gigantic seasonal dust storms, which alternately cover and uncover darker areas of the surface. There is no liquid water on Mars. All water is frozen, either in the polar caps or in the soil as permafrost. Mars appears red because the iron-rich surface is rusted by the locked-up water. Close-up photographs of Mars have revealed winding valleys and channels that have convinced most scientists that Mars had a thicker atmosphere and running water in the past (see page 15). The best way to study Mars would be for geologists to visit the planet and roam its surface. However, it is a long, dangerous and lonely trip to Mars. The astronaut geologists would need to take several years’ supply of food, oxygen and medicines. They would also need huge quantities of rocket fuel for the return trip! Mars facts Diameter: 6787 km Distance from Sun: 228 million km Period to travel around Sun: 687 days Period to turn around axis: 25 hours Number of known satellites: 2 The Hubble Space Telescope imaged Mars on 26 August 2003, just 11 hours before the planet was at its closest to Earth in nearly 60 000 years. Courtesy NASA, J Bell (Cornell University) and M Wolff (Space Science Institute)

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After the completion of its long trek to reach Endeavour crater, Opportunity took this image from its rim. In the foreground is a small crater dubbed Odyssey, while beyond is the interior of Endeavour.

On 9 August 2011 the rover Opportunity finally reached Endeavour crater after a three-year journey over 21 km of Martian terrain. Scientists directed the rover to the large crater as they expect that there it will be able to examine different types of rocks. Clay minerals, detected in the area from a spacecraft circling the planet, are specially tantalising targets as they normally form under wet conditions. In the meantime Opportunity’s fellow rover has been trapped by sand at a spot called Troy since the middle of 2009. It made its last report back to Earth in March 2010 and has not been heard from since. NASA technicians have recently ended efforts to communicate with the rover and have accepted that low winter temperatures have permanently damaged the vehicle’s electronics. NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is circling the planet and has recently made important observations, including ‘dark, finger-like’ markings on sloping areas in the middle latitudes of the planet’s southern hemisphere. These markings show seasonal variations, appearing and lengthening during late spring and summer and then fading in winter. The markings are narrow, half a metre in width in some cases, and can be hundreds of metres in length. In some locations there are more than a thousand of these dark markings and they are always on the warmer sides of the slopes, the ones that face the Sun and the planet’s equator. Scientists have interpreted these markings as the flow of briny or salty water. If correct, it is a highly significant discovery since nowhere else on Mars has water been seen to flow on its surface.


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Jupiter Jupiter is by far the largest planet in the solar system: 11 times wider than Earth, over 1300 times Earth’s volume and nearly three times as massive as all the other planets put together. It is a huge ball of gas with no solid surface and is the second brightest planet in the night sky. (Venus is the brightest.) Even through a small telescope you can see Jupiter as a disc flanked by its four largest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. These moons are often called the Galilean Satellites after their discoverer, the Italian astronomer Galileo. Due to its large size and strong gravity, Jupiter is the most likely planet to be hit by a comet. This was observed for the first time in July 1994 when Jupiter was bombarded by the fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9. Its fragments slammed into Jupiter at 200 000 km per hour, becoming extremely hot and forming fireballs as they plunged into the planet’s atmosphere. These fireballs rose thousands of kilometres above Jupiter and faded, leaving behind dark clouds. Jupiter’s most conspicuous feature is the Great Red Spot, which was first seen in 1664. This is a giant storm or cyclone that has lasted for over 300 years and has a width of 25 000 km, almost twice the size of Earth. It is spinning in a counter-clockwise direction, indicating that, unlike cyclones on Earth, it is a high-pressure system. To astronomers the Great Red Spot provides a laboratory for the study of weather patterns under unfamiliar conditions. Jupiter facts Diameter: 142 980 km Distance from Sun: 778 million km Period to travel around Sun: 12 years Period to turn around axis: 10 hours Number of known satellites: 65

Normally the planet Jupiter sports two dark bands across its middle. Throughout 2010 the southern belt was missing, but recent storms, seen as white spots in the region of the belt, signal its revival. Courtesy Paul Haese

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Update : Jupiter’s innermost moon, Io, has at least 400 volcanoes active on its surface, making it the most volcanic body in the solar system. The volcanoes can eject plumes of material up to a height of about 500 km. Recent research has confirmed that all this activity is being driven by an ocean of magma or molten rock under the surface of the moon.

Jupiter’s innermost moon, Io, is the most volcanic body in the solar system. Image taken by NASA's Galileo spacecraft on 19 September 1997. Courtesy NASA/JPL/

NASA’s Galileo spacecraft, which circled Jupiter from 1995 until University of Arizona 2003, found that Io caused disturbances in Jupiter’s extremely strong magnetic field. This suggests that the moon has a conductive layer in which Jupiter’s magnetic field generates an electric current, thus creating Io’s own magnetic field. However, the location of this conductive layer was unknown. Experiments in the last few years have found that there is a type of volcanic rock called ‘ultramafic rock’, which when melted has the required conductivity. Scientists believe that this type of melted rock, with its high content of magnesium, little silica and some iron, is under Io’s surface. The layer of magma is likely to be at least 50 km thick. The magma is heated to a temperature of 1200°C by the changing tides raised by Jupiter as Io circles the planet at slightly changing distances. Volcanoes then bring this molten rock to the surface where it spreads out in the form of lava. Two new moons circling Jupiter were discovered in September 2010, but only announced in 2011. They are both tiny: one is 2 km in width while the other is just 1 km across. As well, both are in irregular paths around the planet, that is, tilted to the planet’s equator, oval-shaped and moving in the opposite direction to the spin of the planet.


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Saturn According to Roman mythology, Saturn was the god of agriculture and father of Jupiter, king of the gods. Nine times the diameter of the Earth and 750 times its volume, Saturn is second in size only to Jupiter. In beauty it is second to none. Even through a relatively small telescope Saturn can be seen as a bright disc surrounded by a spectacular ring. This ring was discovered in 1655 by the Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens. Later astronomers noticed that the ring is divided into three separate rings. In recent times Voyager spacecraft have shown that each of the rings seen from Earth is itself divided into thousands of narrow rings. The rings are made up of billions of icy chunks, ranging in size from a grain of sand to a large house. Although they stretch over 300 000 km, they are believed to be less than 1 km thick. Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, is one of the most interesting objects in the solar system, for it is the only moon around any of the planets with a significant atmosphere. This atmosphere is mainly made of nitrogen and some methane. It is so thick that it hid Titan’s surface from the cameras of the Voyager spacecraft. Saturn has 53 named moons, of which 12 were announced in 2005. Many of these moons interact with the rings and with each other in complex ways. For instance, Prometheus and Pandora act like shepherds to the outer F-ring. The gravitational pull of the two moons, circling Saturn just inside the ring and just outside respectively, prevents the ring from spreading out and so keeps it narrow. Saturn facts Diameter: 120 540 km Distance from Sun: 1426 million km Period to travel around Sun: 29 years Period to turn around axis: 11 hours Number of known satellites: 62 Saturn showing a gigantic storm that began in December 2010. First the storm was just in one area but within a few months it had spread right around the planet’s northern hemisphere (top hemisphere in image). The image is a detail from a picture that received an Honourable Mention in the 2011 CWAS David Malin Awards. Courtesy Paul Haese

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Update: Enceladus, with a diameter of 498 km, is one of the smaller moons of Saturn. Covered in white fresh ice, it is more reflective than any other body in the solar system. In 2005 the Cassini spacecraft discovered jets of icy water vapour emanating from the moon.

Jets on Enceladus imaged by Cassini. Courtesy NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

These jets suggested that there was a layer of water under the icy surface of the moon. However, such a body of water should contain salt like the oceans on Earth and Cassini could detect no salt in the emitted vapour. Now the salt has been found, not in the vapour, but in icy grains also emitted by the jets. Close to Enceladus these grains are relatively large and contain salts of sodium and potassium. Scientists say that these grains and the water vapour are due to the evaporation of liquid saltwater from the moon. They suggest that there is a water layer deep under the surface that dissolves salt from the surrounding rocks and rises through cracks to create pools near the surface. Wherever there is a gap in the outer layer of ice, the water shoots out due to the difference in pressure to form a jet of vapour. Another recent finding by Cassini is that of changing ripples in Saturn’s rings. By ‘unwinding the ripples’ they found that they originated in late 1983. As there were no spacecraft observing Saturn at that time, how can we find out what caused the disturbance? To answer that question scientists took a new look at earlier images of Jupiter’s less prominent rings. There they found evidence of a similar disturbance originating in mid-1994, when Jupiter was hit by the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9. Hence it is clear that such disturbances in planetary rings are evidence of past collisions.


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Uranus In 1781 the musician and amateur astronomer William Herschel discovered the first new planet to be found since ancient times. It was named Uranus after the Roman god of the sky, who was the father of Saturn and grandfather of Jupiter. At the top of Uranus’ atmosphere is a layer mainly of hydrogen, with about 10 per cent helium. Beneath this are clouds of methane ice, and further down, clouds of ammonia and water. The planet lies on its side, with its axis inclined 98°. This means that unlike the other planets, Uranus’ poles face towards the Sun. No-one knows why this is so, but one theory is that an ancient collision knocked Uranus on its side. Uranus, like Saturn, has rings, but they are much thinner, narrower and darker. Astronomers discovered the main rings in 1977 as they watched Uranus pass in front of a star and saw the star blink on and off due to the rings blocking the starlight. Subsequently, a total of 11 rings were identified; more recently, the Hubble Space Telescope found two more. Both of these are far out from the planet with the span across the larger one twice that across the previously known rings. As rings continually lose the dust and other particles from which they are made, they can only survive for an extended period of time if they have a supply of new material. For the largest ring a newly discovered moon called Mab seems to be the source of fresh material. As small rocks moving around the solar system hit Mab, they blast dust from its surface and this dust settles on the ring. Uranus facts Diameter: 51 120 km Distance from Sun: 2877 million km Period to travel around Sun: 84 years Period to turn around axis: 17 hours Number of known satellites: 27

A composite image of Uranus taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in September 2005. It shows the disc of the planet with its inner rings and, in a longer exposure, the two outer rings. Courtesy NASA, ESA and M Showalter (SETI Institute)

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Neptune The existence of another planet beyond Uranus was first predicted in the 1840s to explain a difference between the observed and the calculated path of Uranus. The planet was found less than one degree from its predicted position, and the discovery was hailed as a brilliant achievement. It was named Neptune after the Roman god of the seas. Nearly four times the diameter of Earth and 54 times its volume, Neptune is like a blue version of Jupiter. The blue colour is probably caused by the red in the Sun’s light being selectively absorbed by methane in Neptune’s upper atmosphere. The spacecraft Voyager 2 visited the planet in August 1989. The most obvious feature it found in Neptune’s atmosphere was the Great Dark Spot. This spot is about the size of Earth and similar to the Great Red Spot seen on Jupiter. Scientists were surprised to find that the spot was not visible on recent Hubble Space Telescope photos of Neptune. However, another Great Dark Spot was seen in a different part of the planet. These dark spots may be holes in the cloud layers. Through them we can peer into the dark lower levels of Neptune’s atmosphere. Triton, with a diameter of 2700 km, is Neptune’s largest moon. It orbits Neptune backwards, that is, in the opposite direction to most of the other moons in the solar system. To astronomers this suggests that Triton was formed elsewhere and later captured by Neptune. Neptune facts Diameter: 49 530 km Distance from Sun: 4508 million km Period to travel around Sun: 165 years Period to turn around axis: 16 hours Number of known satellites: 13

A recent Hubble Space Telescope image of Neptune. Courtesy NASA, L Sromovsky, and P Fry (University of Wisconsin-Madison)


21

Dwarf planets In 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) defined a planet for the first time. According to the definition, for an object circling the Sun to be called a planet it must have sufficient mass for gravity to pull it into a spherical or ball-like shape. In addition, it cannot have other bodies circling the Sun in the same path. This last criterion removes Pluto from the status of a planet as there are numerous other bodies moving around the Sun in its region. The IAU introduced the new category of ‘dwarf planet’ for Pluto and other bodies that meet the first, but not the second criterion. Initially, astronomers were aware of three dwarf planets, but have now discovered a fourth, (136472) Makemake, and a fifth (136108) Haumea. More dwarf objects are likely to be added to the list as new ones are identified. Clyde Tombaugh of the Lowell Observatory in Arizona discovered Pluto in 1930. Now officially known as (134340) Pluto, it has a diameter of 2300 km. A relatively large moon called Charon circles Pluto every six days and both bodies spin on their axes so as to keep showing the same face to each other. Two small, more distant moons, Nix and Hydra, were discovered in 2005 and an even smaller one, dubbed P4, in 2011. Ceres was the first of the small bodies now known as dwarf planets

to be discovered, in 1801, and hence has the modern designation (1) Ceres. With an average diameter of 950 km, it is the most massive of the numerous rocky bodies in the asteroid belt lying between the paths of Mars and Jupiter. Identified in 2003, (136199) Eris has a diameter of 2400 km and is three times as far from the Sun as Pluto. This makes it the most distant body circling the Sun so far discovered. The finding of a small moon called Dysnomia, which takes 16 days to go around Eris, allowed astronomers to establish that the dwarf planet is 27 per cent more massive than Pluto.

22


The Hubble Space Telescope discovered P4 on 28 June 2011. Courtesy NASA, ESA, and M. Showalter (SETI Institute)

Comets and asteroids The planets are not alone in circling the Sun. There are also thousands of small rocky objects called asteroids or minor planets and, at the outer reaches of the solar system, billions of comets. Most asteroids circle the Sun in a belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. They range in size from Ceres, with a diameter of about 950 km, down to small irregular chunks of rock a few hundred metres or less in size. At times a few of the largest and brightest asteroids can be seen with a pair of binoculars, but finding the others in the sky needs more sophisticated equipment and knowledge.

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft began circling the giant asteroid Vesta on 15 July 2011 and took this image nine days later from a distance of 5200 km. After circling Vesta for a year, the spacecraft will move towards the dwarf planet Ceres. Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/ DLR/IDA

Comets are very different to asteroids, being composed of frozen gases such as ice, ammonia and carbon dioxide mixed in with dust from space. There are far more comets than asteroids and generally they are found at the edge of the solar system. The Kuiper Belt extends outwards from the orbit of Pluto and is likely to contain tens of thousands of these giant ‘dirty snowballs’. Pluto may, in fact, be just one of the largest and the closest of these. As well, astronomers think that there is a cloud of billions of comets, called the Oort Cloud, surrounding the solar system and extending part of the way to the nearest stars. Every now and again one of the comets from the Kuiper Belt or the Oort Cloud approaches the Sun. Then spectacular things start to happen. The Sun’s heat turns some of the ice into gas and a huge cloud of released dust envelops the original comet. This is called the ‘coma’ and is seen from Earth as a fuzzy blob. The other main feature of a comet that we can see from Earth is the tail. A combination of sunlight and charged particles emitted by the Sun push dust and gas from the comet into a tail that always points away from the Sun.


23

THE MOON Distance At an average distance of 385 000 km from the Earth, the Moon is our closest neighbour in space. That distance is the same as travelling ten times around the Earth, a journey that would take a jet aircraft travelling nonstop about two-and-a-half weeks. Yet light from the Moon reaches Earth in only 1.25 seconds.

Appearance If we look at the Moon through a telescope we see that it is covered by craters — round depressions with raised rims — of all sizes. These are due to the impact of meteorites. Since there is neither wind nor rain on the Moon to wear away the craters, they preserve a record of the Moon’s bombardment from thousands of millions of years ago to the present. By tradition, craters are named after scientists, philosophers and writers. In 1973 one small crater was named after the famous 19th-century Australian astronomer, John Tebbutt. As well as craters, giant dark regions feature on the Moon’s surface. These were once thought to contain water and so were misnamed maria, which is Latin for ‘seas’. The first crewed landing on the Moon in July 1969 was in one of the maria, Mare Tranquillitatis or Sea of Tranquillity. Maria are regions where lava has covered lowlying basins carved out by huge impacts. They have fewer craters than other regions on the Moon because the lava flows occurred after much of the meteoric bombardment was over. Any craters in the maria today were formed after the lava cooled and solidified. Strangely, the far side of the The Moon’s surface is cratered at all scales Moon has craters and few, if in this close-up view of the Apollo 17 landing site taken by the Lunar any, maria. Reconnaissance Orbiter and released on 6 September 2011. Courtesy NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/ASU

24


Observing the Moon Some of the Moon’s features such as the major seas can be discerned with the unaided eye, especially when the Moon is low in the sky and appears to be larger than usual. Of course, the view through a pair of binoculars or a small telescope is even better. The best time to view the Moon through a telescope is when it is at first quarter phase, when deep shadows allow detail on craters and other lunar structures to be seen. The map below is shown with the correct orientation for viewing the Moon with binoculars. The table beneath gives the English names of the main features identified on the map, together with the key to the abbreviations. The map was created by lunar observer Harry Roberts.

Mare

Sea of

Abbreviation

Feature

Nectaris Fecunditatis Crisium Tranquillitatus Serenitatis Frigoris Humorum Procellarum Imbrium

Nectar Fertility Crises Tranquillity Serenity Cold Moisture Storms (Ocean of) Rains

RA Ap RV Alp SH A11

Altai Escarpment Apennine Mountains Rheita Valley Alps Southern highlands Apollo 11 landing site


25

TIME Our sense of time is based on the Earth’s daily spin about its axis. A day is the time the Earth takes to complete one spin. Some definitions relating to time are: Sunrise — the time when the top edge of the Sun’s disc appears above the horizon. Sunset — the time when the top

edge of the Sun’s disc disappears below the horizon. Civil twilight — starts in the

morning when the Sun’s centre is 6° below the horizon and finishes at sunrise. In the evening it starts at sunset and finishes when the Sun’s centre is 6° below the horizon. Generally lights are needed for outdoor activities in the mornings before the start of civil twilight and in the evenings after its end.

The dial plate of an astronomical regulator clock that has been at Sydney Observatory since 1860. The top dial shows seconds, the lower dial hours in 24 hour time and the large dial, minutes. Photo by Nick Lomb, Sydney Observatory

Nautical twilight — starts in the morning when the Sun’s centre

is 12° below the horizon and finishes at the start of civil twilight. In the evening it starts at the end of civil twilight and finishes when the Sun’s centre is 12° below the horizon. Generally the horizon is not visible in the mornings before the start of nautical twilight and in the evenings after its end. Summer time — all times in this guide are in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) or summer time (AEDT), as appropriate. In 2012, summer time in NSW, Victoria, ACT, South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand is expected to end on Sunday 1 April. In New Zealand it will begin again on Sunday 30 September, while for the Australian states listed above the start date is Sunday 7 October.

26


Dreamtime astronomy For thousands of years Indigenous Australians have passed on knowledge of the night sky in Dreaming stories explaining the creation of the constellations and planets. This story is retold by James Wilson-Miller, based on a story recorded by Mrs K Langloh Parker in NSW in the 1890s.

The Southern Cross and the Pointers. Photo by Geoff Wyatt

The creation of the Southern Cross In the very, very beginning of time when the Great Sky Spirit Baiame walked the earth, out of the red ground of the ridges and plains he made three people, two men and one woman. When Baiame saw that they were alive, he told them what plants they could eat and what plants they couldn’t eat to keep living. The Great Spirit then left for his home in the sky. For a really long time they lived on the plants they were instructed to eat but there came a big dry spell and nearly all the plants had died out. One of the men got so hungry he killed a small kangaroo rat, cooked it and gave some of its meat to the woman who also ate of it. They offered some of the meat to the other man but he refused to eat it. The woman offered it time and time again to the other man but he still refused and got annoyed with them and walked off in another direction, while the woman and the other man sat eating hungrily. When they finished eating they went to look for the man who walked off. They walked and walked over the sand hills and


27

pebbly ground until they found him at the edge of a big coolabah plain near the side of a big river. He was weak from hunger but would not stop when they called out to him. On he went till he came to a big gum tree and there he fell to the ground dead. Where he dropped they could see a huge black figure with fiery eyes beside him. It lifted his body up into the gum tree and dropped him into a hollow in the big tree. While they were running across the plain to help him, they heard a great big sound of thunder and they fell to the ground startled and stunned. When they looked up, they saw the black figure lifting the tree upwards towards the southern sky. They could not see their lost mate anymore but two large fiery eyes which gleamed from within the upwards moving tree. Suddenly a raucous screeching shriek broke the silence and they saw two yellow crested white cockatoos flying after the vanishing tree. Mooyi, they called them. On and on went the spirit tree and after it flew the Mooyi shrieking loudly for it to stop so they could reach their roosting place on it. At last the tree planted itself near a warrambool, or the Milky Way, which leads to where the sky spirits live and then it disappeared from sight. Now they saw four fiery eyes shining out. Two were the eyes of the Yowie, the spirit of death, and the other two were the eyes of the dead man, who became the first man to die. When the news of this man’s death had spread over the land, there was wailing everywhere. The swamp oak trees sighed incessantly and the gum trees shed tears of blood, which became red gums. To this day the Murri people of this area know the Southern Cross as Yaaran’doo, the place of the white gum trees and the pointers are called Mooyi, the white cockatoos still flying after the tree to reach their roost again. To this day, the Southern Cross represents the first ever death of a Murri, since being created by the Great Sky Spirit Baiame. James Wilson-Miller Curator, Koori History and Culture

28


Stars and constellations Glancing up into the night sky we can see bright stars, faint stars and even a few red stars. In the monthly sky maps the stars have all been put into groups or constellations. Although there are long European traditions associated with these constellations, the grouping of the stars is arbitrary. Other peoples such as the Chinese, American Indians and Indigenous Australians all select stars differently to make up quite different constellations. European constellation names, as indicated on the monthly sky maps, are normally in Latin, the language spoken by the ancient Romans. Yet the stories associated with constellations, such as Orion, Scorpius and Sagittarius, come from the ancient Greeks. To confuse the situation Sagittarius, drawn by Johannes Hevelius in a further, some of the brighter star atlas published in 1690. stars have their own individual names and these, like Betelgeuse and Aldebaran, are generally of Arabic origin! All this complexity hints at the long and involved tradition behind the naming of the stars. Plotting the stars on a flat page could give the impression that they are all at the same distance. That would be wrong, for stars are all at different distances. Stars that have been put into the same constellation may appear close together in the sky, but they are unlikely to be physically close to each other. Take the Southern Cross as an example: light from Gamma, the star closest to us, takes 88 years to reach us while the light from Delta, the most distant star, takes 364 years. How bright a star appears in the sky depends on both its intrinsic brightness and its distance. Sirius is the brightest star in the sky (see the January sky description for details on how to find it), mainly because, at a distance of nine light years, it is fairly close to us.


29

The Southern Cross Why do Australians and New Zealanders find the five stars of the Southern Cross so important? One reason is that they are particularly eye-catching — they are bright, close together and form a distinctive shape. They are therefore easy to find, and can be seen all year round in much of the country. How to find the Southern Cross: the diagram below shows how to

find the Southern Cross in the sky. It is easy to find due to the brightness of its stars and the two bright stars (the pointers) which point to it. To use the diagram, face south and hold it in front of you with the arrow pointing down. It shows the position of the cross and the pointers for each month at about 8:00 pm (or 9:00 pm summer time). MAY

JUNE

APRIL

JULY

MARCH

AUGUST SOUTH CELESTIAL POLE

FEBRUARY

SEPTEMBER

JANUARY

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER SOUTH

How to find south using the Southern Cross: the diagram shows

how the long axis of the cross always points to the same point in the sky. This point is known as the South Celestial Pole. To find it extend the long axis of the cross by four and a half times its length. South is the point on the horizon directly below the pole.

30


MONTHLY STARS AND PLANETS How to use the star maps The star maps shown on the following pages have the four cardinal directions, north, south, east and west, marked around the edges. If you are looking towards the south, hold the map in front of you with the southern horizon on the bottom. If you are looking towards the east, hold the map with the eastern horizon on the bottom, and so on. To find your way around the sky, locate one of the more obvious constellations and work your way from there. Constellations which are easy to find include the Southern Cross, which is marked ‘Crux’ on the maps, Scorpius and Orion.

Centaurus with the Southern Cross or Crux.

Each map shows the planets visible on the dates and times given for the map. They all lie on or close to a curved line called the ecliptic. The ecliptic denotes the plane in which the Earth and most of the other planets circle the Sun. Sometimes two positions are shown in the one month for a planet. This is because the planets, especially Mercury and Venus, can change their positions very rapidly.


31

D EC

Key





Bright Star

Faint Star Magellanic Cloud

V2 venus on 21 december J JUPITER

This star map shows the ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS, Non-Zodiac Constellations and stars of the night sky as seen from Sydney at: 10.30 pm on 7 December 9.30 pm on 21 December For other dates subtract or add half an hour each week.

32


December 2011 The evening sky See star map opposite The summer constellation of Orion, the Hunter, is high in the southeast. The three stars in the middle of the constellation represent the belt of Orion. Above and a little further to the right or east of the rightmost star of the belt we find a line of three faint objects that, from a city or suburban location, are best seen through binoculars. These make up the dagger or sword of Orion. The object in the middle is one of the most famous objects in the sky, the Great Nebula in Orion. Extending a line through the stars of the belt towards the right or east we reach Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. Extending the line in the other direction we find Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation of Taurus, the Bull.

Total eclipse of the Moon The lunar eclipse occurs on the night of Saturday 10 December and is visible from beginning to end throughout Australia and New Zealand. The Moon starts entering the Earth’s shadow at 11:45 pm AEDT and is fully immersed in the shadow at 1:06 am. It starts leaving the shadow at 1:58 am and is fully clear at 3:18 am.

Meteor shower The Geminid shower, one of the year's best meteor showers, can be seen this month. To see the meteors look towards the north on the early morning of 15 December. Unfortunately, the gibbous Moon is likely to make it difficult to see fainter meteors.

D IA R Y F O R D ECEMBE R 2 0 1 1

2

Friday

First quarter

8:52 pm

11

Sunday

Full Moon

1:36 am

18

Sunday

Last quarter

22

Thursday

Summer solstice

4:30 pm

25

Sunday

New Moon

5:06 am

11:48 am


33

Planets in the evening twilight The two bright planets Venus and Jupiter grace the evening sky. Venus is in the west, passing from Sagittarius into Capricornus during the second half of the month. On 27 December the crescent Moon is below and to the right or north of the planet. Jupiter is high in the north, moving from Aries into Pisces during

the first week of the month. On 6 December the gibbous Moon is below and to the left or west of the planet.

Planets in the morning twilight Mercury appears low in the east in the middle of the month. Initially,

it is in Scorpius but moves into Ophiuchus after a few days. On 23 December a thin crescent Moon is above and to the left or north of the planet. Mars is in the north-east in Leo. On 17 December the gibbous Moon

is above and to the left or north of the planet, while on the next morning the last quarter Moon is above and to the right or east. Saturn is in the eastern sky in Virgo. On 20 December the crescent Moon is above and to the left or north of the planet, while on the next morning it is to the right or east.

9:15 pm on 27 December — Venus and the Moon

34


D EC

Planets Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Date

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

1

6:11

20:21

7:26

21:57

1:30

12:39

16:41

3:51

3:33

16:19

2

6:04

20:11

7:28

21:59

1:27

12:37

16:37

3:47

3:30

16:15

3

5:56

20:00

7:29

22:00

1:24

12:36

16:33

3:43

3:26

16:12

4

5:48

19:49

7:31

22:02

1:22

12:34

16:29

3:39

3:22

16:09

5

5:40

19:37

7:33

22:03

1:19

12:32

16:24

3:35

3:19

16:05

6

5:32

19:27

7:35

22:04

1:16

12:30

16:20

3:30

3:15

16:02

7

5:24

19:16

7:36

22:05

1:14

12:28

16:16

3:26

3:11

15:58

8

5:17

19:07

7:38

22:06

1:11

12:26

16:12

3:22

3:08

15:55

9

5:10

18:58

7:40

22:07

1:08

12:24

16:07

3:18

3:04

15:51

10

5:04

18:50

7:42

22:08

1:05

12:21

16:03

3:14

3:00

15:48

11

4:58

18:43

7:44

22:09

1:02

12:19

15:59

3:10

2:57

15:44

12

4:52

18:37

7:46

22:10

1:00

12:17

15:55

3:06

2:53

15:41

13

4:47

18:32

7:48

22:11

0:57

12:15

15:51

3:02

2:49

15:37

14

4:43

18:28

7:50

22:12

0:54

12:13

15:47

2:58

2:46

15:34

15

4:39

18:25

7:52

22:12

0:51

12:11

15:42

2:53

2:42

15:30

16

4:36

18:22

7:54

22:13

0:48

12:08

15:38

2:49

2:38

15:26

17

4:33

18:20

7:56

22:14

0:45

12:06

15:34

2:45

2:35

15:23

18

4:30

18:19

7:58

22:14

0:42

12:04

15:30

2:41

2:31

15:19

19

4:28

18:18

8:00

22:15

0:39

12:01

15:26

2:37

2:27

15:16

20

4:26

18:18

8:02

22:15

0:37

11:59

15:22

2:33

2:24

15:12

21

4:25

18:18

8:04

22:16

0:34

11:57

15:18

2:29

2:20

15:09

22

4:24

18:19

8:06

22:16

0:31

11:54

15:14

2:25

2:16

15:05

23

4:23

18:20

8:08

22:16

0:28

11:52

15:10

2:21

2:12

15:02

24

4:22

18:21

8:10

22:17

0:25

11:49

15:06

2:17

2:09

14:58

25

4:22

18:23

8:13

22:17

0:22

11:47

15:02

2:13

2:05

14:54

26

4:22

18:25

8:15

22:17

0:19

11:44

14:58

2:09

2:01

14:51

27

4:22

18:27

8:17

22:17

0:15

11:42

14:54

2:05

1:58

14:47

28

4:22

18:29

8:19

22:17

0:12

11:39

14:50

2:01

1:54

14:44

29

4:22

18:31

8:21

22:17

0:09

11:36

14:47

1:58

1:50

14:40

30

4:23

18:33

8:23

22:17

0:06

11:34

14:43

1:54

1:46

14:36

31

4:23

18:36

8:25

22:17

0:03

11:31

14:39

1:50

1:43

14:33


35

D EC

Sun and twilight twilight start Date 1

Day Thursday

sun

TWILIGHT end

Nautical

Civil

Rise

Set

Civil

Nautical

4:34

5:09

5:37

19:51

20:19

20:54

2

Friday

4:34

5:09

5:37

19:52

20:20

20:55

3

Saturday

4:34

5:09

5:37

19:52

20:21

20:56

4

Sunday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:53

20:22

20:57

5

Monday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:54

20:23

20:58

6

Tuesday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:55

20:24

20:59

7

Wednesday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:56

20:25

21:00

8

Thursday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:57

20:25

21:01

9

Friday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:57

20:26

21:02

Saturday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:58

20:27

21:03

10 11

Sunday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:59

20:28

21:03

12

Monday

4:33

5:09

5:38

20:00

20:29

21:04

13

Tuesday

4:33

5:09

5:38

20:00

20:29

21:05

14

Wednesday

4:33

5:09

5:38

20:01

20:30

21:06

15

Thursday

4:34

5:09

5:38

20:02

20:31

21:07

16

Friday

4:34

5:10

5:39

20:02

20:31

21:07

17

Saturday

4:34

5:10

5:39

20:03

20:32

21:08

18

Sunday

4:34

5:10

5:39

20:04

20:33

21:09

19

Monday

4:35

5:11

5:40

20:04

20:33

21:09

20

Tuesday

4:35

5:11

5:40

20:05

20:34

21:10

21

Wednesday

4:36

5:11

5:41

20:05

20:34

21:10

22

Thursday

4:36

5:12

5:41

20:06

20:35

21:11

23

Friday

4:36

5:12

5:42

20:06

20:35

21:11

24

Saturday

4:37

5:13

5:42

20:07

20:36

21:12

25

Sunday

4:38

5:13

5:43

20:07

20:36

21:12

26

Monday

4:38

5:14

5:43

20:08

20:37

21:12

27

Tuesday

4:39

5:15

5:44

20:08

20:37

21:13

28

Wednesday

4:39

5:15

5:44

20:08

20:37

21:13

29

Thursday

4:40

5:16

5:45

20:09

20:38

21:13

30

Friday

4:41

5:17

5:46

20:09

20:38

21:14

31

Saturday

4:42

5:17

5:46

20:09

20:38

21:14

36


D EC

Moon and tides MOON Rise

TIMES AND HEIGHTS OF HIGH AND LOW WATERS

Set

11:25

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

1:45

1.27

7:22

0.62

13:40

1.53

20:27

H (m) Date 0.44

1

12:23

0:32

2:41

1.27

8:21

0.68

14:32

1.41

21:15

0.49

2

13:18

1:02

3:36

1.30

9:27

0.71

15:30

1.31

22:01

0.52

3

14:13

1:31

4:30

1.34

10:34

0.70

16:30

1.25

22:47

0.53

4

15:07

1:59

5:20

1.41

11:41

0.66

17:30

1.23

23:33

0.52

5

19:13

1.25

7

16:02

2:29

6:06

1.48

12:38

0.59

18:24

1.23

16:57

3:02

0:15

0.51

6:49

1.56

13:26

0.52

6

17:53

3:37

0:56

0.51

7:29

1.62

14:08

0.45

19:57

1.26

8

18:48

4:17

1:34

0.50

8:07

1.68

14:47

0.40

20:38

1.28

9

19:41

5:02

2:13

0.49

8:45

1.73

15:25

0.35

21:17

1.29

10

20:31

5:52

2:50

0.48

9:22

1.77

16:01

0.32

21:57

1.29

11

21:18

6:46

3:30

0.48

10:00

1.78

16:40

0.31

22:37

1.30

12

23:19

1.30

22:01

7:45

4:10

0.48

10:41

1.78

17:20

0.31

22:39

8:45

4:54

0.50

11:22

1.76

18:01

0.31

13 14

23:15

9:47

0:05

1.31

5:42

0.52

12:05

1.71

18:45

0.32

15

23:49

10:49

0:55

1.32

6:34

0.55

12:52

1.64

19:32

0.34

16

11:52

1:48

1.35

7:32

0.57

13:45

1.55

20:22

0.36

17

0:23

12:57

2:45

1.40

8:39

0.59

14:45

1.46

21:15

0.38

18

0:57

14:02

3:45

1.47

9:52

0.57

15:53

1.39

22:11

0.39

19

1:34

15:10

4:45

1.56

11:09

0.51

17:04

1.35

23:08

0.40

20

2:14

16:19

5:45

1.67

12:20

0.42

18:14

1.34

21

3:01

17:28

0:05

0.39

6:42

1.78

13:25

0.31

19:17

1.35

22

3:53

18:34

1:00

0.38

7:37

1.88

14:22

0.22

20:15

1.37

23

4:52

19:35

1:53

0.37

8:30

1.94

15:15

0.17

21:10

1.38

24

5:55

20:28

2:45

0.36

9:20

1.97

16:03

0.15

22:00

1.39

25

7:01

21:14

3:35

0.38

10:08

1.94

16:49

0.17

22:48

1.39

26

8:06

21:54

4:25

0.41

10:54

1.88

17:33

0.22

23:34

1.37

27

18:55

0.37

29

9:09

22:29

5:13

0.46

11:37

1.77

18:15

0.29

10:09

23:01

0:20

1.36

6:00

0.52

12:19

1.64

11:07

23:31

12:03

28

1:05

1.34

6:48

0.59

13:00

1.51

19:34

0.44

30

1:51

1.34

7:39

0.66

13:42

1.38

20:14

0.49

31

Tidal predictions for Sydney only. Times are adjusted for daylight saving. Tidal information provided courtesy of the Sydney Ports Corporation. © Commonwealth of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology, National Tidal Centre. 2012 AUSTRALASIAN SKY GUIDE

37

jan

Key





Bright Star


J Jupiter

This star map shows the ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS, Non-Zodiac Constellations and stars of the night sky as seen from Sydney at: 11.30 pm on 7 January 10.30 pm on 21 January For other dates subtract or add half an hour each week.

38


January 2012 The evening sky See star map opposite The constellation of Orion is high in the north and dominates the evening sky. It is easily recognisable with four stars in a rectangular pattern and three stars in a row in the middle. These three stars represent the belt of the hunter Orion. Above the right or eastern part of the belt is Orion’s sword, made up of three stars like the belt but much fainter. If we extend an imaginary line through Orion’s belt to the right or east, we reach Sirius , the brightest star in the sky. It is an intrinsically bright star — about 25 times brighter than the Sun — and is also relatively close at a distance of only nine light years. If we extend the imaginary line through Orion’s belt in the opposite direction, towards the left or west, we reach the orange-coloured star Aldebaran. This is giant star with a surface temperature somewhat cooler than the Sun yet intrinsically hundreds of times brighter. Aldebaran is the brightest star in a group of stars forming an inverted ‘v’ shape in the constellation of Taurus, the Bull. Apart from Aldebaran, the stars of the group are part of a cluster of stars called the Hyades, which lie 150 light years away. Looking south we find that the Southern Cross, known as Crux to astronomers, is lying on its side in the south-east. The two pointer stars are below, pointing upwards to the Cross. The furthest of the two from the Cross is Alpha Centauri , also known as Rigel Kentaurus, which is the closest star system to the Sun. D IA R Y F O R J A N UA R Y 2 0 1 2

1

Sunday

First quarter

5:15 pm

5

Thursday

Earth closest to the Sun (perihelion)

9

Monday

Full Moon

6:30 pm

16

Monday

Last quarter

8:08 pm

23

Monday

New Moon

6:39 pm

31

Tuesday

First quarter

3:10 pm

12:00 noon


39

Planets in the evening twilight The two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, grace the evening sky. Venus is low in the west, moving from Capricornus into Aquarius in the middle of the month. On 26 January the crescent Moon is below and to the right or north of the planet. Jupiter is in the north-west, gradually drifting from Pisces into Aries in the first week of the month. On 2 January the gibbous Moon is below and to the left or west of the planet, while on the next evening it is below and to the right or east. On 30 January the crescent Moon is directly below Jupiter with five degrees or 10 moon-widths separating the two objects.

Planets in the morning twilight Mercury is low in the south-east, first in Ophiuchus and then Sagittarius, but is lost to view in the middle of the month. Mars is high in the north, moving from Leo to Virgo in the middle

of the month. On 14 January the gibbous Moon is above and to the left or west of the planet. Saturn is high in the north-east in Virgo. On 17 January the crescent Moon is above and to the right or east of the planet.

9:15 pm on 26 January — Venus, Jupiter and the Moon

40


Planets Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Date

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

1

4:24

18:38

8:27

22:17

0:00

11:28

14:35

1:46

1:39

14:29

2

4:25

18:41

8:30

22:17

23:53

11:25

14:31

1:42

1:35

14:25

3

4:27

18:44

8:32

22:16

23:50

11:22

14:27

1:38

1:31

14:22

4

4:28

18:46

8:34

22:16

23:47

11:19

14:24

1:34

1:28

14:18

5

4:29

18:49

8:36

22:16

23:44

11:16

14:20

1:30

1:24

14:14

6

4:31

18:52

8:38

22:16

23:40

11:13

14:16

1:26

1:20

14:11

7

4:32

18:55

8:40

22:15

23:37

11:10

14:12

1:23

1:16

14:07

8

4:34

18:57

8:42

22:15

23:34

11:07

14:09

1:19

1:13

14:03

9

4:36

19:00

8:44

22:14

23:30

11:04

14:05

1:15

1:09

14:00

10

4:38

19:03

8:46

22:14

23:27

11:01

14:01

1:11

1:05

13:56

11

4:41

19:06

8:48

22:13

23:23

10:58

13:58

1:07

1:01

13:52

12

4:43

19:08

8:50

22:13

23:20

10:55

13:54

1:04

0:58

13:49

13

4:45

19:11

8:52

22:12

23:17

10:51

13:50

1:00

0:54

13:45

14

4:48

19:14

8:54

22:12

23:13

10:48

13:47

0:56

0:50

13:41

15

4:50

19:17

8:56

22:11

23:09

10:44

13:43

0:52

0:46

13:37

16

4:53

19:19

8:58

22:10

23:06

10:41

13:40

0:48

0:42

13:34

17

4:56

19:22

9:00

22:10

23:02

10:37

13:36

0:45

0:39

13:30

18

4:59

19:24

9:02

22:09

22:59

10:34

13:32

0:41

0:35

13:26

19

5:02

19:27

9:04

22:08

22:55

10:30

13:29

0:37

0:31

13:22

20

5:05

19:29

9:06

22:07

22:51

10:27

13:25

0:33

0:27

13:19

21

5:08

19:32

9:08

22:07

22:48

10:23

13:22

0:30

0:23

13:15

22

5:12

19:34

9:10

22:06

22:44

10:19

13:18

0:26

0:19

13:11

23

5:15

19:36

9:12

22:05

22:40

10:15

13:15

0:22

0:16

13:07

24

5:19

19:39

9:14

22:04

22:36

10:11

13:11

0:19

0:12

13:03

25

5:23

19:41

9:16

22:03

22:32

10:07

13:08

0:15

0:08

13:00

26

5:26

19:43

9:17

22:02

22:29

10:03

13:04

0:11

0:04

12:56

27

5:30

19:45

9:19

22:01

22:25

9:59

13:01

0:08

0:00

12:52

23:57

23:56 28

5:34

19:47

9:21

22:00

22:21

9:55

12:58

0:04

23:53

12:48

29

5:38

19:49

9:23

21:59

22:17

9:51

12:54

0:00

23:49

12:44

23:57 30

5:42

19:51

9:25

21:58

22:13

9:46

12:51

23:53

23:45

12:40

31

5:46

19:53

9:26

21:57

22:09

9:42

12:47

23:49

23:41

12:37


41

jan

Mercury

jan


Day Sunday

sun

TWILIGHT end

Nautical

Civil

Rise

Set

Civil

Nautical

4:42

5:18

5:47

20:09

20:38

21:14

2

Monday

4:43

5:19

5:48

20:09

20:38

21:14

3

Tuesday

4:44

5:20

5:49

20:10

20:39

21:14

4

Wednesday

4:45

5:20

5:49

20:10

20:39

21:14

5

Thursday

4:46

5:21

5:50

20:10

20:39

21:14

6

Friday

4:47

5:22

5:51

20:10

20:39

21:14

7

Saturday

4:48

5:23

5:52

20:10

20:39

21:14

8

Sunday

4:49

5:24

5:53

20:10

20:39

21:14

9

Monday

4:50

5:25

5:54

20:10

20:39

21:14

10

Tuesday

4:51

5:26

5:54

20:10

20:39

21:13

11

Wednesday

4:52

5:27

5:55

20:10

20:38

21:13

12

Thursday

4:53

5:28

5:56

20:10

20:38

21:13

13

Friday

4:54

5:29

5:57

20:10

20:38

21:13

14

Saturday

4:55

5:30

5:58

20:09

20:38

21:12

15

Sunday

4:56

5:31

5:59

20:09

20:37

21:12

16

Monday

4:57

5:32

6:00

20:09

20:37

21:12

17

Tuesday

4:58

5:33

6:01

20:09

20:37

21:11

18

Wednesday

4:59

5:34

6:02

20:08

20:36

21:11

19

Thursday

5:00

5:35

6:03

20:08

20:36

21:10

20

Friday

5:02

5:36

6:04

20:08

20:36

21:10

21

Saturday

5:03

5:37

6:05

20:07

20:35

21:09

22

Sunday

5:04

5:38

6:06

20:07

20:35

21:08

23

Monday

5:05

5:39

6:07

20:06

20:34

21:08

24

Tuesday

5:06

5:40

6:08

20:06

20:34

21:07

25

Wednesday

5:07

5:41

6:09

20:05

20:33

21:06

26

Thursday

5:09

5:42

6:10

20:05

20:32

21:06

27

Friday

5:10

5:43

6:11

20:04

20:32

21:05

28

Saturday

5:11

5:44

6:12

20:04

20:31

21:04

29

Sunday

5:12

5:45

6:13

20:03

20:30

21:03

30

Monday

5:13

5:46

6:14

20:02

20:30

21:03

31

Tuesday

5:15

5:48

6:15

20:02

20:29

21:02

42


Moon and tides TIMES AND HEIGHTS OF HIGH AND LOW WATERS

Rise

Set

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

12:58

0:00

2:40

1.35

8:36

0.71

14:30

1.28

20:57

H (m) Date 0.55

1

13:52

0:30

3:32

1.37

9:44

0.73

15:30

1.20

21:46

0.58

2

14:47

1:01

4:27

1.41

10:57

0.71

16:38

1.15

22:40

0.59

3

23:33

0.59

15:43

1:35

5:22

1.46

12:05

0.65

17:46

1.15

16:38

2:13

6:14

1.53

13:01

0.57

18:45

1.17

4 5

17:32

2:55

0:22

0.57

7:00

1.60

13:47

0.49

19:34

1.21

6

18:24

3:43

1:08

0.54

7:43

1.67

14:29

0.42

20:17

1.25

7

19:13

4:36

1:50

0.50

8:24

1.74

15:06

0.35

20:58

1.29

8

19:58

5:34

2:31

0.46

9:03

1.80

15:43

0.30

21:37

1.33

9

20:39

6:35

3:13

0.43

9:43

1.83

16:20

0.26

22:17

1.37

10

21:16

7:38

3:56

0.41

10:24

1.84

16:59

0.23

23:00

1.41

11

21:52

8:42

4:42

0.40

11:05

1.82

17:38

0.23

23:44

1.44

12

19:01

0.30

14

22:26

9:46

5:30

0.42

11:49

1.75

18:18

0.26

23:00

10:50

0:30

1.46

6:22

0.45

12:35

1.65

23:36

13

11:55

1:21

1.49

7:19

0.49

13:26

1.53

19:48

0.36

15

13:01

2:16

1.51

8:25

0.53

14:24

1.40

20:40

0.42

16

0:14

14:08

3:16

1.54

9:40

0.55

15:33

1.29

21:40

0.47

17

0:57

15:15

4:21

1.59

11:00

0.52

16:52

1.23

22:45

0.49

18

23:49

0.48

1:45

16:20

5:28

1.66

12:16

0.44

18:08

1.24

2:39

17:21

6:30

1.74

13:21

0.35

19:14

1.28

3:39

18:17

0:49

0.45

7:28

1.82

14:15

0.27

19 20

20:09

1.33

21

4:43

19:05

1:45

0.41

8:20

1.87

15:02

0.22

20:58

1.38

22

5:47

19:48

2:35

0.38

9:08

1.89

15:45

0.21

21:42

1.42

23

6:51

20:25

3:23

0.37

9:51

1.86

16:26

0.22

22:24

1.44

24

7:53

20:59

4:08

0.39

10:32

1.80

17:02

0.26

23:04

1.44

25

23:44

1.44

8:52

21:30

4:51

0.43

11:11

1.71

17:37

0.32

9:50

22:00

5:33

0.48

11:46

1.60

18:09

0.38

26 27

10:46

22:30

0:21

1.43

6:15

0.54

12:22

1.48

18:42

0.44

28

11:41

23:01

1:01

1.42

7:01

0.60

13:00

1.36

19:15

0.51

29

12:36

23:34

13:31

1:45

1.40

7:52

0.66

13:44

1.26

19:55

0.57

30

2:33

1.40

8:53

0.70

14:38

1.17

20:45

0.62

31


43

jan

MOON

feb

Key





Bright Star


M MARS J JUPITER

This star map shows the ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS, Non-Zodiac Constellations and stars of the night sky as seen from Sydney at: 10.30 pm on 7 February 9.30 pm on 21 February For other dates subtract or add half an hour each week.

44


February 2012 The evening sky See star map opposite The February night sky is dominated by the constellation of Orion in the northern sky. At the top left or west of the constellation we find the star Rigel, which is the brightest star in the constellation although it is designated as the Beta star. The Alpha star of the constellation is the reddish star Betelgeuse, at the bottom and right or east of the constellation. Betelgeuse, one of the few stars in the sky with an obvious red colour, is a giant star that is so big that if it replaced the Sun it would engulf Mercury, Venus, the Earth and even Mars. Extending an imaginary line through the three stars of Orion’s belt to the right or east we reach Sirius, the brightest star in the sky and the brightest star in the constellation of Canis Major, the Great Dog. Below Sirius is the bright star Procyon, a star that is at a distance of only 11 light years and is a little more massive than the Sun. Its name comes from the Greek meaning ‘before the dog’, a reference to it rising before Sirius, the ‘Dog Star’, in the Northern Hemisphere. Taking the imaginary line through Orion’s belt towards the left or west, we reach Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation of Taurus, the Bull. Taking the line further we reach the Pleiades star cluster. Most people can see six stars in the cluster, though some can see a fainter seventh star. Intriguingly stories from a number of unconnected cultures refer to these stars as seven sisters. In the south the Southern Cross or Crux is lying on its side in the south-east with the two pointer stars below.

D IA R Y F O R F EB R UA R Y 2 0 1 2

8

Wednesday

Full Moon

8:54 am

15

Wednesday

Last quarter

4:04 am

22

Wednesday

New Moon

9:35 am


45

Planets in the evening twilight Venus and Jupiter are joined by Mars in the evening sky. Venus is low in the west, moving from Aquarius into Pisces after the first few days of the month. On 25 February a thin crescent Moon is below and to the left or south of the planet, while on the next evening it is to the right or north. Jupiter is in the north-west in Aries. On 27 February the crescent

Moon is below and to the right or north of the planet. Mars appears during the second half of the month low in the east

in Leo.

Planets in the morning twilight Mars is in the north-west sky. On 10 February the gibbous Moon is

to the left or west of the planet, while on the next morning it is above, but still to the left or west of Mars. Saturn is high in the north in Virgo. On 13 February the gibbous

Moon is above and to the left or west of the planet.

8:30 pm on 26 February — Venus, Jupiter and the Moon

46


Planets Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

1

5:51

19:54

9:28

21:56

22:05

9:38

12:44

23:46

23:37

12:33

2

5:55

19:56

9:30

21:55

22:00

9:33

12:41

23:42

23:33

12:29

3

5:59

19:58

9:32

21:54

21:56

9:29

12:37

23:39

23:29

12:25

4

6:04

19:59

9:34

21:53

21:52

9:24

12:34

23:35

23:25

12:21

5

6:08

20:01

9:35

21:52

21:48

9:19

12:31

23:31

23:21

12:17

6

6:13

20:02

9:37

21:51

21:44

9:15

12:27

23:28

23:18

12:13

7

6:18

20:03

9:39

21:50

21:39

9:10

12:24

23:24

23:14

12:09

8

6:22

20:05

9:40

21:49

21:35

9:05

12:21

23:21

23:10

12:05

9

6:27

20:06

9:42

21:48

21:31

9:00

12:17

23:17

23:06

12:01

10

6:32

20:07

9:44

21:46

21:26

8:55

12:14

23:14

23:02

11:57

11

6:37

20:08

9:45

21:45

21:22

8:50

12:11

23:10

22:58

11:53

12

6:42

20:09

9:47

21:44

21:17

8:45

12:08

23:07

22:54

11:49

13

6:47

20:10

9:49

21:43

21:13

8:40

12:04

23:03

22:50

11:45

14

6:52

20:11

9:50

21:42

21:08

8:35

12:01

23:00

22:46

11:41

15

6:57

20:12

9:52

21:41

21:04

8:30

11:58

22:56

22:42

11:37

16

7:02

20:13

9:54

21:40

20:59

8:24

11:55

22:53

22:38

11:33

17

7:07

20:14

9:55

21:38

20:54

8:19

11:52

22:49

22:34

11:29

18

7:12

20:14

9:57

21:37

20:50

8:13

11:48

22:46

22:30

11:25

19

7:17

20:15

9:59

21:36

20:45

8:08

11:45

22:42

22:26

11:21

20

7:23

20:15

10:00

21:35

20:40

8:03

11:42

22:39

22:22

11:17

21

7:28

20:15

10:02

21:34

20:35

7:57

11:39

22:35

22:18

11:13

22

7:33

20:16

10:03

21:32

20:30

7:51

11:36

22:32

22:14

11:09

23

7:37

20:16

10:05

21:31

20:26

7:46

11:33

22:28

22:10

11:05

24

7:42

20:16

10:07

21:30

20:21

7:40

11:30

22:25

22:06

11:01

25

7:47

20:16

10:08

21:29

20:16

7:35

11:26

22:21

22:02

10:57

26

7:51

20:15

10:10

21:28

20:11

7:29

11:23

22:18

21:58

10:53

27

7:55

20:15

10:11

21:27

20:06

7:23

11:20

22:14

21:54

10:49

28

7:59

20:14

10:13

21:25

20:01

7:17

11:17

22:11

21:50

10:45

29

8:03

20:13

10:14

21:24

19:56

7:12

11:14

22:08

21:46

10:41


47

feb

Date

Sun and twilight

feb

twilight start

sun

TWILIGHT end

Date

Day

Nautical

Civil

Rise

Set

Civil

Nautical

1

Wednesday

5:16

5:49

6:16

20:01

20:28

21:01

2

Thursday

5:17

5:50

6:17

20:00

20:27

21:00

3

Friday

5:18

5:51

6:18

20:00

20:26

20:59

4

Saturday

5:19

5:52

6:19

19:59

20:26

20:58

5

Sunday

5:21

5:53

6:20

19:58

20:25

20:57

6

Monday

5:22

5:54

6:21

19:57

20:24

20:56

7

Tuesday

5:23

5:55

6:22

19:56

20:23

20:55

8

Wednesday

5:24

5:56

6:23

19:55

20:22

20:54

9

Thursday

5:25

5:57

6:24

19:54

20:21

20:53

Friday

5:26

5:58

6:25

19:54

20:20

20:52

10 11

Saturday

5:27

5:59

6:26

19:53

20:19

20:51

12

Sunday

5:29

6:00

6:27

19:52

20:18

20:49

13

Monday

5:30

6:01

6:28

19:51

20:17

20:48

14

Tuesday

5:31

6:02

6:29

19:50

20:16

20:47

15

Wednesday

5:32

6:03

6:29

19:49

20:15

20:46

16

Thursday

5:33

6:04

6:30

19:48

20:14

20:45

17

Friday

5:34

6:05

6:31

19:47

20:13

20:44

18

Saturday

5:35

6:06

6:32

19:45

20:11

20:42

19

Sunday

5:36

6:07

6:33

19:44

20:10

20:41

20

Monday

5:37

6:08

6:34

19:43

20:09

20:40

21

Tuesday

5:38

6:09

6:35

19:42

20:08

20:39

22

Wednesday

5:40

6:10

6:36

19:41

20:07

20:37

23

Thursday

5:41

6:11

6:37

19:40

20:06

20:36

24

Friday

5:42

6:12

6:38

19:39

20:04

20:35

25

Saturday

5:43

6:13

6:39

19:38

20:03

20:33

26

Sunday

5:44

6:14

6:40

19:36

20:02

20:32

27

Monday

5:45

6:15

6:40

19:35

20:01

20:31

28

Tuesday

5:46

6:16

6:41

19:34

19:59

20:29

29

Wednesday

5:47

6:17

6:42

19:33

19:58

20:28

48


Moon and tides MOON


Rise

Set

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

14:26

0:09

3:30

1.40

10:07

0.71

15:48

1.11

21:45

H (m) Date 0.65

1

0:49

4:33

1.42

11:24

0.67

17:08

1.10

22:51

0.65

2

1:34

5:34

1.47

12:29

0.60

18:16

1.13

23:51

0.62

3

19:54

1.26

5

17:03

2:25

6:29

1.55

13:19

0.51

19:10

1.19

17:50

3:20

0:43

0.56

7:16

1.64

14:01

0.42

4

18:33

4:20

1:29

0.49

8:00

1.72

14:39

0.33

20:33

1.34

6

19:13

5:22

2:13

0.42

8:41

1.80

15:16

0.26

21:14

1.42

7

19:50

6:27

2:57

0.36

9:22

1.84

15:53

0.20

21:54

1.49

8

20:26

7:32

3:43

0.32

10:04

1.85

16:30

0.18

22:36

1.56

9

21:01

8:38

4:30

0.30

10:48

1.81

17:10

0.19

23:20

1.60

10

18:33

0.31

12

21:37

9:45

5:20

0.31

11:33

1.73

17:50

0.23

22:15

10:52

0:07

1.63

6:14

0.35

12:22

1.60

11

22:57

12:00

0:57

1.63

7:12

0.41

13:14

1.46

19:19

0.40

13

23:44

13:07

1:51

1.61

8:18

0.47

14:15

1.32

20:14

0.49

14

14:13

2:53

1.59

9:34

0.51

15:27

1.21

21:18

0.55

15

0:36

15:14

4:03

1.59

10:56

0.50

16:50

1.18

22:31

0.58

16

23:43

0.55

1:32

16:11

5:16

1.62

12:10

0.45

18:07

1.21

2:33

17:00

6:22

1.68

13:11

0.39

19:07

1.28

17 18

3:36

17:44

0:45

0.50

7:18

1.73

14:00

0.33

19:57

1.36

19

4:38

18:23

1:38

0.44

8:07

1.76

14:43

0.29

20:40

1.42

20

5:40

18:58

2:26

0.40

8:50

1.77

15:20

0.28

21:19

1.48

21

6:39

19:30

3:10

0.38

9:30

1.74

15:54

0.29

21:57

1.51

22

7:38

20:00

3:50

0.39

10:07

1.68

16:26

0.32

22:32

1.53

23

8:34

20:30

4:30

0.41

10:43

1.60

16:56

0.36

23:06

1.53

24

9:30

21:01

5:09

0.45

11:16

1.52

17:25

0.41

23:40

1.53

25

18:27

0.53

27

10:26

21:33

5:48

0.50

11:51

1.43

17:54

0.47

11:21

22:08

0:15

1.51

6:30

0.55

12:29

1.33

26

12:16

22:46

0:55

1.48

7:17

0.60

13:10

1.24

19:04

0.60

28

13:10

23:28

1:41

1.45

8:13

0.65

14:01

1.16

19:51

0.66

29

Tidal predictions for Sydney only. Times are adjusted for daylight saving. Tidal information provided courtesy of the Sydney Ports Corporation. © Commonwealth of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology, National Tidal Centre.


49

feb

15:20 16:13

mar

Key





Bright Star


V2 VENUS ON 21 MARCH M MARS J JUPITER S SATURN

50


This star map shows the ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS, Non-Zodiac Constellations and stars of the night sky as seen from Sydney at: 9.30 pm on 7 March 8.30 pm on 21 March For other dates subtract or add half an hour each week.

March 2012 The evening sky See star map opposite The summer constellation of Orion is high in the north-west. Above and to the right or east is Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. Procyon is below Sirius and further below we find the two bright stars of Gemini, the Twins. Pollux is the star above, while Castor is closer to the horizon. Castor is a fascinating star as telescopes show it to be a triple star, with two bright components and a much fainter one. However, each of these three is also double so in fact Castor consists of six stars! In the south the Southern Cross or Crux is lying on its side in the south-east with the two pointer stars below. If we extend an imaginary line through the two topmost stars of the Cross to the right or west we reach the bright star Canopus, high up and almost due south. Canopus is the second brightest star in the sky after Sirius and is the brightest star in the constellation of Carina the Keel. Extending another imaginary line towards the right or west, this time through the main axis of the Cross, we reach the star Achernar, the brightest star in the constellation of Eridanus, the River.

Equinox The autumn equinox occurs when the Sun crosses from the southern to the northern part of the sky. It can take place on 20 or 21 March; this year it is the 20th. On the day of the equinox the Sun rises close to due east and sets close to due west. D IA R Y F O R MA R C H 2 0 1 2

1

Thursday

First quarter

12:21 pm

8

Thursday

Full Moon

15

Thursday

Last quarter

20

Tuesday

Autumn equinox

4:14 pm

23

Friday

New Moon

1:37 am

31

Saturday

First quarter

6:41 am

8:39 pm 12:25 pm


51

Planets in the evening twilight Saturn joins Venus, Mars and Jupiter in the evening sky. Venus is low in the west, moving from Pisces into Aries during the first week of the month and into Taurus at the end. From 11 to 15 March, Venus passes close to Jupiter with only six moon-widths separating the planets at their closest. On 26 March the crescent Moon is between Jupiter and Venus, while on the next evening it is above and to the right or north of the planet. Mars is low in the east in Leo. On 7 March the gibbous Moon is

above and to the left or north of the planet. Jupiter is low in the west in Aries. Saturn appears very low in the east in Virgo at the very end of the

month.

Planets in the morning twilight Mercury appears low in the east in Pisces during the last few days

of the month. Mars is low in the west at the start of the month but disappears

just before the middle of the month. Saturn is in the west. On 11 March the gibbous Moon is below and to the left or south of Saturn. The next morning it is above the planet. 8:00 pm on 26 March — Venus, Jupiter and the Moon

52


Planets Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

1

8:06

20:12

10:16

21:23

19:51

7:06

11:11

22:04

21:42

10:37

2

8:09

20:11

10:17

21:22

19:46

7:00

11:08

22:01

21:38

10:32

3

8:12

20:09

10:19

21:21

19:41

6:54

11:05

21:57

21:34

10:28

4

8:14

20:07

10:20

21:20

19:36

6:48

11:02

21:54

21:30

10:24

5

8:15

20:05

10:22

21:18

19:31

6:43

10:59

21:51

21:26

10:20

6

8:16

20:03

10:23

21:17

19:26

6:37

10:56

21:47

21:22

10:16

7

8:16

20:00

10:25

21:16

19:21

6:31

10:53

21:44

21:18

10:12

8

8:16

19:57

10:26

21:15

19:16

6:25

10:50

21:40

21:14

10:08

9

8:15

19:53

10:28

21:14

19:11

6:19

10:47

21:37

21:10

10:03

10

8:13

19:50

10:29

21:13

19:06

6:14

10:44

21:34

21:06

9:59

11

8:11

19:46

10:31

21:12

19:01

6:08

10:41

21:30

21:02

9:55

12

8:08

19:41

10:32

21:11

18:56

6:02

10:38

21:27

20:58

9:51

13

8:04

19:37

10:34

21:09

18:51

5:56

10:35

21:24

20:54

9:47

14

7:59

19:32

10:35

21:08

18:46

5:51

10:32

21:20

20:50

9:43

15

7:54

19:26

10:36

21:07

18:41

5:45

10:29

21:17

20:46

9:38

16

7:48

19:21

10:38

21:06

18:36

5:40

10:26

21:14

20:42

9:34

17

7:42

19:16

10:39

21:05

18:31

5:34

10:23

21:10

20:37

9:30

18

7:35

19:10

10:41

21:04

18:26

5:28

10:20

21:07

20:33

9:26

19

7:28

19:04

10:42

21:03

18:21

5:23

10:17

21:04

20:29

9:21

20

7:20

18:58

10:43

21:02

18:16

5:18

10:14

21:00

20:25

9:17

21

7:12

18:53

10:44

21:01

18:11

5:12

10:11

20:57

20:21

9:13

22

7:04

18:47

10:46

21:00

18:06

5:07

10:08

20:54

20:17

9:09

23

6:55

18:41

10:47

20:59

18:01

5:02

10:05

20:50

20:13

9:05

24

6:47

18:36

10:48

20:58

17:56

4:56

10:02

20:47

20:09

9:00

25

6:39

18:30

10:49

20:57

17:52

4:51

10:00

20:44

20:05

8:56

26

6:31

18:25

10:51

20:56

17:47

4:46

9:57

20:41

20:01

8:52

27

6:23

18:20

10:52

20:55

17:42

4:41

9:54

20:37

19:56

8:48

28

6:15

18:16

10:53

20:54

17:37

4:36

9:51

20:34

19:52

8:43

29

6:08

18:11

10:54

20:53

17:33

4:31

9:48

20:31

19:48

8:39

30

6:01

18:07

10:55

20:52

17:28

4:26

9:45

20:27

19:44

8:35

31

5:55

18:03

10:56

20:51

17:23

4:21

9:42

20:24

19:40

8:30


53

mar

Date

Sun and twilight twilight start Date

mar

1

Day Thursday

sun

TWILIGHT end

Nautical

Civil

Rise

Set

Civil

Nautical

5:48

6:18

6:43

19:31

19:57

20:27

2

Friday

5:49

6:18

6:44

19:30

19:56

20:25

3

Saturday

5:50

6:19

6:45

19:29

19:54

20:24

4

Sunday

5:50

6:20

6:46

19:28

19:53

20:23

5

Monday

5:51

6:21

6:46

19:26

19:52

20:21

6

Tuesday

5:52

6:22

6:47

19:25

19:50

20:20

7

Wednesday

5:53

6:23

6:48

19:24

19:49

20:18

8

Thursday

5:54

6:24

6:49

19:22

19:48

20:17

9

Friday

5:55

6:25

6:50

19:21

19:46

20:16

Saturday

5:56

6:25

6:50

19:20

19:45

20:14

10 11

Sunday

5:57

6:26

6:51

19:19

19:44

20:13

12

Monday

5:58

6:27

6:52

19:17

19:42

20:12

13

Tuesday

5:58

6:28

6:53

19:16

19:41

20:10

14

Wednesday

5:59

6:29

6:54

19:15

19:40

20:09

15

Thursday

6:00

6:29

6:54

19:13

19:38

20:07

16

Friday

6:01

6:30

6:55

19:12

19:37

20:06

17

Saturday

6:02

6:31

6:56

19:10

19:35

20:05

18

Sunday

6:03

6:32

6:57

19:09

19:34

20:03

19

Monday

6:03

6:33

6:58

19:08

19:33

20:02

20

Tuesday

6:04

6:33

6:58

19:06

19:31

20:00

21

Wednesday

6:05

6:34

6:59

19:05

19:30

19:59

22

Thursday

6:06

6:35

7:00

19:04

19:29

19:58

23

Friday

6:07

6:36

7:01

19:02

19:27

19:56

24

Saturday

6:07

6:36

7:01

19:01

19:26

19:55

25

Sunday

6:08

6:37

7:02

19:00

19:25

19:53

26

Monday

6:09

6:38

7:03

18:58

19:23

19:52

27

Tuesday

6:10

6:39

7:04

18:57

19:22

19:51

28

Wednesday

6:10

6:39

7:04

18:56

19:20

19:49

29

Thursday

6:11

6:40

7:05

18:54

19:19

19:48

30

Friday

6:12

6:41

7:06

18:53

19:18

19:47

31

Saturday

6:13

6:42

7:07

18:52

19:16

19:45

54


Moon and tides MOON Rise


Set

14:02

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

2:36

1.42

9:21

0.68

15:07

1.11

20:54

H (m) Date 0.71

1

14:52

0:15

3:41

1.41

10:37

0.67

16:29

1.10

22:08

0.71

2

15:40

1:07

4:49

1.45

11:45

0.61

17:44

1.14

23:17

0.67

3

19:24

1.33

5

16:24

2:04

5:51

1.52

12:39

0.52

18:39

1.22

17:05

3:04

0:15

0.59

6:43

1.61

13:23

0.42

4

4:07

1:06

0.50

7:29

1.70

14:02

0.32

20:05

1.44

6

5:12

1:53

0.40

8:14

1.77

14:41

0.25

20:45

1.55

7

18:57

6:19

2:41

0.31

8:58

1.81

15:19

0.20

21:28

1.66

8

19:34

7:26

3:29

0.25

9:44

1.80

16:00

0.18

22:11

1.74

9

20:12

8:35

4:19

0.22

10:30

1.75

16:40

0.21

22:56

1.78

10

23:44

1.79

20:54

9:45

5:12

0.23

11:20

1.65

17:23

0.27

21:41

10:55

6:07

0.28

12:12

1.53

18:08

0.37

11 12

22:32

12:04

0:35

1.76

7:08

0.35

13:08

1.39

18:58

0.47

13

23:28

13:08

1:31

1.71

8:15

0.42

14:11

1.28

19:56

0.57

14

14:06

2:35

1.64

9:30

0.47

15:26

1.21

21:05

0.63

15

0:28

14:58

3:47

1.60

10:45

0.49

16:47

1.21

22:23

0.65

16

23:35

0.61

1:30

15:43

5:01

1.59

11:52

0.47

17:57

1.26

2:32

16:23

6:06

1.61

12:47

0.43

18:51

1.34

17 18

3:32

16:58

0:37

0.55

7:00

1.63

13:32

0.40

19:37

1.43

19

4:32

17:31

1:30

0.50

7:45

1.64

14:11

0.38

20:16

1.50

20

5:29

18:02

2:14

0.45

8:27

1.63

14:45

0.37

20:53

1.56

21

6:26

18:32

2:55

0.43

9:04

1.60

15:16

0.38

21:27

1.60

22

7:22

19:02

3:32

0.42

9:40

1.55

15:45

0.40

21:59

1.63

23

8:17

19:34

4:10

0.42

10:15

1.50

16:15

0.44

22:30

1.64

24

9:12

20:07

4:46

0.44

10:49

1.44

16:44

0.48

23:03

1.64

25

23:38

1.62

10:07

20:44

5:25

0.47

11:26

1.38

17:14

0.53

11:01

21:25

6:06

0.52

12:04

1.31

17:47

0.59

26 27

11:54

22:10

0:16

1.58

6:50

0.56

12:46

1.24

18:26

0.65

28

12:44

22:59

1:00

1.53

7:42

0.61

13:36

1.18

19:13

0.71

29

13:32

23:53

14:16

1:51

1.48

8:43

0.64

14:37

1.15

20:12

0.75

30

2:53

1.46

9:50

0.64

15:50

1.15

21:26

0.76

31


55

mar

17:44 18:20

apr

Key





Bright Star


V1 VENUS ON 7 APRIL V2 VENUS ON 21 APRIL M MARS S SATURN

56


This star map shows the ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS, Non-Zodiac Constellations and stars of the night sky as seen from Sydney at: 7.30 pm on 7 April 6.30 pm on 21 April For other dates subtract or add half an hour each week.

April 2012 The evening sky See star map opposite The summer constellation of Orion is lying on its side in the western sky. Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, is above and to the left or south of Orion. Procyon, the brightest star in the constellation of Canis Minor, the Little Dog, is above and to the right or north. In the east we can see the bright star Spica, the brightest star in the constellation of Virgo, the Maiden. Spica consists of two hot massive stars whirling around each other every four days. In the south the Southern Cross is straightening up and is now at about the four o’clock angle. The first of the two pointers below is Beta Centauri, also known as Hadar, which is a hot giant star about 390 light years from us. The second pointer is Alpha Centauri or Rigel Kentaurus. With a small telescope you can see a pair of bright stars close together – one of the best sights in the southern sky. A third star in the Alpha Centauri system, called Proxima Centauri, is the closest star to the Sun at a distance of 4.3 light years. The two pointer stars are part of the constellation of Centaurus, the Centaur, which surrounds the Southern Cross on three sides. In Greek mythology centaurs were war-like creatures, half-horse and half-human. The star Canopus, the second brightest star in the sky and the brightest star in the constellation of Carina, the Keel, is high in the south. D IA R Y F O R AP R I L 2 0 1 2

1

Sunday

Summer time ends

3:00 am

7

Saturday

Full Moon

5:19 am

13

Friday

Last quarter

8:50 pm

21

Saturday

New Moon

5:18 pm

29

Sunday

First quarter

7:57 pm


57

Planets in the evening twilight Jupiter disappears, leaving Venus, Mars and Saturn as the evening planets. Venus is in the north-west in Taurus. On 3 and 4 April it passes near the Pleiades star cluster; binoculars should provide some fine views. On 25 April the crescent Moon is above and to the left or west of the planet. Mars is in the north-east in Leo. On 3 April the gibbous Moon is

above and to the left or north of the planet. Jupiter is low in the west in Aries but disappears into the twilight

just after the middle of the month. Saturn is low in the east in Virgo. On 7 April the full Moon is above and to the right or south of the planet.

Planets in the morning twilight Mercury is low in the east in Pisces, apart from a brief excursion

late in the month into the non-zodiacal constellation of Cetus. On 19 April a thin crescent Moon is below and to the left or north of Mercury. On 23 April Mercury passes four moon-widths from the outer planet Uranus. Saturn is low in the west, but disappears just before the end of the

month. 6:45 pm on 3 April — Jupiter, Venus and the Pleiades

58


Planets Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

1

4:49

16:59

9:57

19:50

16:19

3:17

8:39

19:21

18:36

7:26

2

4:43

16:56

9:58

19:49

16:14

3:12

8:37

19:18

18:32

7:22

3

4:38

16:52

9:59

19:48

16:10

3:07

8:34

19:14

18:28

7:18

4

4:34

16:49

9:59

19:48

16:05

3:03

8:31

19:11

18:23

7:13

5

4:29

16:46

10:00

19:47

16:01

2:58

8:28

19:08

18:19

7:09

6

4:26

16:44

10:01

19:46

15:56

2:54

8:25

19:05

18:15

7:05

7

4:22

16:41

10:02

19:45

15:52

2:49

8:22

19:01

18:11

7:00

8

4:19

16:39

10:02

19:44

15:48

2:45

8:19

18:58

18:07

6:56

9

4:17

16:37

10:03

19:43

15:43

2:41

8:17

18:55

18:03

6:52

10

4:15

16:35

10:03

19:42

15:39

2:37

8:14

18:52

17:59

6:48

11

4:13

16:33

10:04

19:41

15:35

2:33

8:11

18:48

17:54

6:43

12

4:11

16:31

10:04

19:40

15:31

2:29

8:08

18:45

17:50

6:39

13

4:10

16:30

10:04

19:39

15:27

2:25

8:05

18:42

17:46

6:35

14

4:09

16:28

10:04

19:38

15:22

2:21

8:02

18:39

17:42

6:30

15

4:09

16:27

10:05

19:36

15:18

2:17

8:00

18:36

17:38

6:26

16

4:09

16:26

10:05

19:35

15:14

2:13

7:57

18:32

17:34

6:22

17

4:09

16:25

10:05

19:34

15:10

2:09

7:54

18:29

17:30

6:18

18

4:09

16:23

10:04

19:33

15:06

2:05

7:51

18:26

17:25

6:13

19

4:09

16:22

10:04

19:32

15:02

2:02

7:48

18:23

17:21

6:09

20

4:10

16:22

10:04

19:31

14:58

1:58

7:45

18:19

17:17

6:05

21

4:11

16:21

10:03

19:29

14:55

1:55

7:43

18:16

17:13

6:00

22

4:12

16:20

10:03

19:28

14:51

1:51

7:40

18:13

17:09

5:56

23

4:14

16:19

10:02

19:27

14:47

1:48

7:37

18:10

17:05

5:52

24

4:15

16:19

10:02

19:25

14:43

1:44

7:34

18:07

17:01

5:48

25

4:17

16:18

10:01

19:24

14:39

1:41

7:31

18:03

16:56

5:43

26

4:19

16:18

10:00

19:22

14:36

1:38

7:29

18:00

16:52

5:39

27

4:21

16:17

9:59

19:21

14:32

1:34

7:26

17:57

16:48

5:35

28

4:24

16:17

9:58

19:19

14:28

1:31

7:23

17:54

16:44

5:30

29

4:26

16:17

9:56

19:17

14:25

1:28

7:20

17:51

16:40

5:26

30

4:29

16:16

9:55

19:16

14:21

1:25

7:17

17:48

16:36

5:22


59

apr

Date


apr

1

Day Sunday

sun

TWILIGHT end

Nautical

Civil

Rise

Set

Civil

Nautical

5:13

5:42

6:07

17:50

18:15

18:44

2

Monday

5:14

5:43

6:08

17:49

18:14

18:43

3

Tuesday

5:15

5:44

6:09

17:48

18:13

18:41

4

Wednesday

5:16

5:45

6:10

17:46

18:11

18:40

5

Thursday

5:16

5:45

6:10

17:45

18:10

18:39

6

Friday

5:17

5:46

6:11

17:44

18:09

18:38

7

Saturday

5:18

5:47

6:12

17:42

18:07

18:36

8

Sunday

5:19

5:47

6:13

17:41

18:06

18:35

9

Monday

5:19

5:48

6:13

17:40

18:05

18:34

10

Tuesday

5:20

5:49

6:14

17:38

18:04

18:33

11

Wednesday

5:21

5:50

6:15

17:37

18:02

18:31

12

Thursday

5:21

5:50

6:16

17:36

18:01

18:30

13

Friday

5:22

5:51

6:16

17:35

18:00

18:29

14

Saturday

5:23

5:52

6:17

17:33

17:59

18:28

15

Sunday

5:23

5:53

6:18

17:32

17:57

18:26

16

Monday

5:24

5:53

6:18

17:31

17:56

18:25

17

Tuesday

5:25

5:54

6:19

17:30

17:55

18:24

18

Wednesday

5:25

5:55

6:20

17:29

17:54

18:23

19

Thursday

5:26

5:55

6:21

17:27

17:53

18:22

20

Friday

5:27

5:56

6:21

17:26

17:52

18:21

21

Saturday

5:28

5:57

6:22

17:25

17:51

18:20

22

Sunday

5:28

5:57

6:23

17:24

17:49

18:19

23

Monday

5:29

5:58

6:24

17:23

17:48

18:18

24

Tuesday

5:30

5:59

6:25

17:22

17:47

18:17

25

Wednesday

5:30

6:00

6:25

17:21

17:46

18:16

26

Thursday

5:31

6:00

6:26

17:20

17:45

18:15

27

Friday

5:32

6:01

6:27

17:18

17:44

18:14

28

Saturday

5:32

6:02

6:28

17:17

17:43

18:13

29

Sunday

5:33

6:02

6:28

17:16

17:42

18:12

30

Monday

5:34

6:03

6:29

17:15

17:41

18:11

60


Moon and tides MOON


Rise

Set

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

13:58

0:50

3:00

1.47

9:55

0.59

16:02

1.21

21:41

H (m) Date 0.71

1

14:36

0:50

4:06

1.52

10:49

0.51

17:00

1.31

22:45

0.63

2

15:13

1:52

5:03

1.59

11:36

0.42

17:48

1.43

23:41

0.52

3

19:15

1.71

5

15:49

2:56

5:54

1.67

12:19

0.33

18:32

1.57

16:26

4:03

0:32

0.40

6:44

1.72

13:01

0.27

4

17:04

5:11

1:24

0.30

7:32

1.74

13:44

0.24

20:00

1.83

6

17:45

6:22

2:15

0.22

8:23

1.72

14:27

0.25

20:46

1.91

7

18:31

7:34

3:08

0.19

9:15

1.66

15:11

0.29

21:34

1.95

8

8:45

4:03

0.19

10:08

1.57

15:58

0.36

22:24

1.94

9

9:54

5:00

0.24

11:04

1.47

16:47

0.45

23:17

1.88

10

18:43

0.63

12

21:20

10:57

6:01

0.31

12:03

1.37

17:42

0.55

22:23

11:53

0:14

1.79

7:07

0.39

13:07

1.30

23:26

11

12:41

1:16

1.69

8:15

0.45

14:17

1.26

19:53

0.69

13

13:23

2:27

1.60

9:20

0.49

15:30

1.28

21:08

0.70

14

0:27

14:00

3:36

1.55

10:18

0.50

16:32

1.34

22:19

0.68

15

1:27

14:33

4:39

1.53

11:09

0.49

17:24

1.42

23:21

0.63

16

2:24

15:04

5:31

1.52

11:52

0.48

18:08

1.50

3:21

15:34

0:14

0.57

6:16

1.51

12:30

0.47

18:46

1.57

18

17

4:16

16:04

0:58

0.53

6:58

1.50

13:02

0.47

19:21

1.63

19

5:11

16:35

1:37

0.49

7:35

1.48

13:34

0.48

19:55

1.68

20

6:06

17:08

2:15

0.46

8:13

1.45

14:04

0.50

20:27

1.71

21

7:01

17:44

2:50

0.45

8:49

1.42

14:35

0.52

21:00

1.73

22

7:55

18:24

3:27

0.45

9:26

1.39

15:07

0.55

21:32

1.73

23

8:48

19:07

4:05

0.47

10:04

1.35

15:41

0.59

22:08

1.71

24

9:40

19:55

4:45

0.50

10:44

1.30

16:17

0.63

22:46

1.67

25

23:29

1.62

10:28

20:47

5:29

0.54

11:27

1.26

16:59

0.68

11:13

21:41

6:16

0.57

12:15

1.23

17:45

0.72

26 27

11:54

22:39

0:17

1.57

7:11

0.59

13:12

1.22

18:42

0.76

28

12:33

23:38

1:13

1.53

8:08

0.58

14:15

1.24

19:50

0.77

29

2:16

1.52

9:06

0.55

15:21

1.31

21:04

0.73

30

13:09



61

apr

19:22 20:19

m ay

Key





Bright Star


VENUS V M MARS saturn S

62


This star map shows the ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS, Non-Zodiac Constellations and stars of the night sky as seen from Sydney at: 6.30 pm on 7 May 5.30 pm on 21 May For other dates subtract or add half an hour each week.

May 2012 The evening sky See star map opposite The summer constellation of Orion is lying on its side low in the western sky. Above and to the left or south is the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, while above and to the right or north is Procyon. Further north we see Pollux and Castor, the twin stars of Gemini. Due north is Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation of Leo, the Lion. Regulus lies on the ecliptic, the line traced out by the planets, the Moon in its monthly journey and the Sun in its annual journey around the sky. Hence Regulus is often occulted, or covered, by the Moon. Low in the east we have the welcome return of the favourite constellation of the Australian winter sky, Scorpius, the Scorpion. It is easily recognisable, consisting of a line of bright stars, including the bright red star Antares. Scorpius rises as Orion is setting, recalling the ancient Greek story of the Scorpion chasing the giant Orion. The Southern Cross is well placed for observation as it is now high in the south-east. The brightest star of the Cross, Acrux, is the closest to the horizon, while the next brightest, Beta Crucis or Mimosa, is to the left or east.

Meteor shower The Eta Aquarids occur this month. Associated with Halley's Comet, this meteor shower is one of the best to be seen from the southern hemisphere. Look for it in the eastern sky in the early morning of Sunday 6 May. Unfortunately, a full Moon will make it impossible to see any but the brightest of the meteors. D IA R Y F O R MA Y 2 0 1 2

6

Sunday

Full Moon

1:35 pm

13

Sunday

Last quarter

7:47 am

21

Monday

New Moon

9:47 am

29

Tuesday

First quarter

6:16 am


63

Planets in the evening twilight Venus, Mars and Saturn dominate the evening sky. Venus is low in the north-west in Taurus and getting closer to the horizon each evening. On 23 May a thin crescent Moon is directly above the planet. Mars is in the northern sky in Leo. On 1 May the gibbous Moon is

directly above the planet, while on 29 May it is the first quarter Moon that is directly above. Saturn is in the east in Virgo close to the bright star Spica. On 4

May the gibbous Moon is above and to the left or north of the planet, while on the next evening it is to the right or south of Saturn.

Planets in the morning twilight Mercury is low in the east, moving from Pisces into Aries in the

middle of the month. Just after the middle of the month Mercury disappears into the twilight. Jupiter appears very low in the east in Taurus at the end of the

month.

6:15 pm on 4 May — Mars, Saturn, the Moon and two stars

64


Planets Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

1

4:32

16:16

9:53

19:14

14:17

1:22

7:15

17:44

16:32

5:18

2

4:35

16:16

9:52

19:12

14:14

1:19

7:12

17:41

16:27

5:13

3

4:38

16:16

9:50

19:10

14:10

1:16

7:09

17:38

16:23

5:09

4

4:42

16:16

9:48

19:07

14:07

1:13

7:06

17:35

16:19

5:05

5

4:45

16:16

9:45

19:05

14:03

1:10

7:03

17:32

16:15

5:00

6

4:49

16:17

9:43

19:03

14:00

1:07

7:01

17:29

16:11

4:56

7

4:53

16:17

9:41

19:00

13:56

1:05

6:58

17:25

16:07

4:52

8

4:57

16:17

9:38

18:58

13:53

1:02

6:55

17:22

16:03

4:48

9

5:01

16:18

9:35

18:55

13:50

0:59

6:52

17:19

15:59

4:44

10

5:05

16:18

9:32

18:52

13:46

0:57

6:49

17:16

15:54

4:39

11

5:10

16:19

9:29

18:49

13:43

0:54

6:47

17:13

15:50

4:35

12

5:15

16:20

9:25

18:46

13:40

0:51

6:44

17:10

15:46

4:31

13

5:20

16:21

9:22

18:43

13:36

0:49

6:41

17:06

15:42

4:27

14

5:25

16:22

9:18

18:40

13:33

0:46

6:38

17:03

15:38

4:22

15

5:30

16:23

9:14

18:36

13:30

0:44

6:36

17:00

15:34

4:18

16

5:36

16:25

9:10

18:33

13:27

0:41

6:33

16:57

15:30

4:14

17

5:42

16:26

9:05

18:29

13:23

0:39

6:30

16:54

15:26

4:10

18

5:48

16:28

9:01

18:25

13:20

0:36

6:27

16:51

15:22

4:05

19

5:54

16:30

8:56

18:21

13:17

0:34

6:24

16:48

15:17

4:01

20

6:00

16:32

8:51

18:17

13:14

0:32

6:22

16:44

15:13

3:57

21

6:06

16:34

8:45

18:13

13:11

0:29

6:19

16:41

15:09

3:53

22

6:13

16:37

8:40

18:08

13:07

0:27

6:16

16:38

15:05

3:49

23

6:20

16:39

8:34

18:04

13:04

0:25

6:13

16:35

15:01

3:45

24

6:26

16:42

8:28

17:59

13:01

0:23

6:10

16:32

14:57

3:40

25

6:33

16:45

8:22

17:54

12:58

0:20

6:08

16:29

14:53

3:36

26

6:40

16:48

8:16

17:49

12:55

0:18

6:05

16:25

14:49

3:32

27

6:47

16:52

8:09

17:44

12:52

0:16

6:02

16:22

14:45

3:28

28

6:54

16:55

8:03

17:39

12:49

0:14

5:59

16:19

14:41

3:24

29

7:01

16:59

7:56

17:34

12:46

0:12

5:56

16:16

14:37

3:20

30

7:08

17:03

7:49

17:28

12:43

0:10

5:54

16:13

14:33

3:16

31

7:15

17:07

7:42

17:23

12:40

0:08

5:51

16:10

14:29

3:11


65

MAY

Date


TWILIGHT end

Nautical

Civil

Rise

Set

Civil

Nautical

5:34

6:04

6:30

17:14

17:40

18:10

2

Wednesday

5:35

6:05

6:31

17:13

17:39

18:09

3

Thursday

5:36

6:05

6:31

17:12

17:38

18:08

4

Friday

5:36

6:06

6:32

17:11

17:38

18:07

5

Saturday

5:37

6:07

6:33

17:11

17:37

18:06

6

Sunday

5:38

6:07

6:34

17:10

17:36

18:06

7

Monday

5:38

6:08

6:34

17:09

17:35

18:05

8

Tuesday

5:39

6:09

6:35

17:08

17:34

18:04

9

Wednesday

5:40

6:10

6:36

17:07

17:33

18:03

Thursday

5:40

6:10

6:37

17:06

17:33

18:03

10

m ay

Day Tuesday

sun

11

Friday

5:41

6:11

6:37

17:05

17:32

18:02

12

Saturday

5:42

6:12

6:38

17:05

17:31

18:01

13

Sunday

5:42

6:12

6:39

17:04

17:30

18:01

14

Monday

5:43

6:13

6:40

17:03

17:30

18:00

15

Tuesday

5:43

6:14

6:40

17:02

17:29

17:59

16

Wednesday

5:44

6:14

6:41

17:02

17:28

17:59

17

Thursday

5:45

6:15

6:42

17:01

17:28

17:58

18

Friday

5:45

6:16

6:42

17:01

17:27

17:58

19

Saturday

5:46

6:16

6:43

17:00

17:27

17:57

20

Sunday

5:47

6:17

6:44

16:59

17:26

17:57

21

Monday

5:47

6:18

6:45

16:59

17:26

17:56

22

Tuesday

5:48

6:18

6:45

16:58

17:25

17:56

23

Wednesday

5:48

6:19

6:46

16:58

17:25

17:55

24

Thursday

5:49

6:20

6:47

16:57

17:24

17:55

25

Friday

5:50

6:20

6:47

16:57

17:24

17:54

26

Saturday

5:50

6:21

6:48

16:56

17:23

17:54

27

Sunday

5:51

6:21

6:49

16:56

17:23

17:54

28

Monday

5:51

6:22

6:49

16:56

17:23

17:53

29

Tuesday

5:52

6:23

6:50

16:55

17:22

17:53

30

Wednesday

5:52

6:23

6:50

16:55

17:22

17:53

31

Thursday

5:53

6:24

6:51

16:55

17:22

17:53

66


Moon and tides MOON

TIMES AND HEIGHTS OF HIGH AND LOW WATERS H (m) Date

Rise

Set

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

13:44

0:40

3:22

1.53

10:00

0.49

16:19

1.42

22:14

0.65

23:15

0.54

14:19

1:43

4:24

1.57

10:49

0.42

17:11

1.56

14:55

2:48

5:21

1.61

11:36

0.37

18:00

1.70

1 2 3

15:34

3:56

0:14

0.42

6:15

1.63

12:22

0.33

18:47

1.84

4

16:18

5:07

1:09

0.31

7:10

1.63

13:09

0.32

19:35

1.95

5

17:07

6:19

2:04

0.23

8:04

1.61

13:57

0.33

20:25

2.03

6

18:02

7:31

2:59

0.19

9:00

1.56

14:45

0.37

21:15

2.05

7

19:03

8:39

3:55

0.19

9:57

1.51

15:37

0.43

22:07

2.02

8

20:08

9:40

4:51

0.23

10:54

1.44

16:30

0.50

23:00

1.95

9

21:13

10:34

5:50

0.30

11:52

1.39

17:27

0.58

23:56

1.83

10

19:32

0.71

12

11:20

6:49

0.38

12:52

1.35

18:27

0.65

11:59

0:54

1.71

7:47

0.45

13:55

1.34

11

12:34

1:55

1.59

8:43

0.51

14:57

1.36

20:43

0.74

13

0:19

13:07

2:59

1.50

9:34

0.54

15:54

1.41

21:52

0.74

14

1:16

13:37

3:59

1.44

10:21

0.55

16:45

1.47

22:56

0.70

15

2:11

14:07

4:53

1.40

11:03

0.55

17:31

1.54

23:51

0.65

16

18:48

1.67

18

3:06

14:38

5:42

1.39

11:42

0.55

18:12

1.61

4:01

15:10

0:37

0.59

6:26

1.38

12:18

0.55

17

4:56

15:45

1:17

0.54

7:07

1.38

12:53

0.55

19:24

1.72

19

5:50

16:23

1:55

0.50

7:46

1.37

13:28

0.56

19:58

1.76

20

6:44

17:05

2:31

0.47

8:25

1.36

14:02

0.57

20:32

1.78

21

7:36

17:52

3:09

0.46

9:04

1.35

14:38

0.58

21:08

1.79

22

8:25

18:42

3:46

0.46

9:43

1.33

15:15

0.61

21:45

1.77

23

9:11

19:36

4:26

0.47

10:24

1.31

15:55

0.63

22:24

1.74

24

9:54

20:33

5:07

0.49

11:08

1.30

16:38

0.66

23:05

1.70

25

23:50

1.65

10:33

21:31

5:52

0.51

11:55

1.29

17:25

0.69

11:09

22:31

6:39

0.51

12:47

1.30

18:20

0.72

11:44

23:31

12:17

26 27

0:42

1.60

7:30

0.51

13:44

1.34

19:23

0.73

28

1:39

1.55

8:21

0.49

14:43

1.41

20:34

0.71

29

12:52

0:34

2:44

1.52

9:14

0.47

15:41

1.52

21:46

0.64

30

13:28

1:38

3:49

1.51

10:06

0.44

16:37

1.64

22:56

0.54

31

Tidal predictions for Sydney only. Tidal information provided courtesy of the Sydney Ports Corporation. © Commonwealth of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology, National Tidal Centre. 2012 AUSTRALASIAN SKY GUIDE

67

MAY

22:17 23:19

JUN

Key





Bright Star


M2 MERCURY ON 21 JUNE

M MARS saturn S

68


This star map shows the ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS, Non-Zodiac Constellations and stars of the night sky as seen from Sydney at: 6.30 pm on 7 June 5.30 pm on 21 June For other dates subtract or add half an hour each week.

June 2012 The evening sky See star map opposite The signpost to the winter sky, the constellation of Scorpius, the Scorpion, is prominent in the east. With its head or claws to the left or north and its tail to the right or south, it is one of the few constellations that has a resemblance to its name. The Scorpion even has a red heart, the star Antares. This is a red giant star at a distance of 550 light years from us and a width that is about four times that of the Earth’s path around the Sun. Further to the north we see the bright star Spica, the brightest star in the constellation of Virgo high in the north-east. Below is the brilliant orange-coloured Arcturus of the constellation of Boötes. This star, at a distance of 37 light years from us, has an exceptionally low concentration of elements other than hydrogen and helium.

Partial eclipse of the Moon A partial eclipse of the Moon is visible throughout Australia and New Zealand on the evening of Monday 4 June. The Moon starts to move into the Earth’s shadow at 7:59 pm AEST and leaves the shadow at 10:07 pm. At maximum eclipse, 38% of the Moon’s width is immersed in shadow.

Transit of Venus We can see the very rare sight of the planet Venus crossing the disc of the Sun on Wednesday 6 June. From Eastern Australia, Venus appears to touch the outer edge of the Sun’s disc at 8:16 am AEST and completely leaves the disc at 2:44 or 2:45 pm, depending on location. (See more details on page 6.) D IA R Y F O R J U N E 2 0 1 2

4

Monday

Full Moon

9:12 pm

11

Monday

Last quarter

8:41 pm

20

Wednesday

New Moon

1:02 am

21

Thursday

Winter solstice

9:09 am

27

Wednesday

First quarter

1:30 pm


69

Planets in the evening twilight Mercury replaces Venus and joins Mars and Saturn in the evening sky. Mercury appears in the middle of the month low in the west in

Gemini, but moves into Cancer late in the month. On 21 June a very thin crescent Moon is below and to the left or south of Mercury, while on the next evening the Moon is directly above the planet. Mars is high in the north, initially in Leo and then moving in the

second half of the month to join Saturn in Virgo. On 26 June the crescent Moon is above and to the left or west of the planet. Saturn is high in the north-east in Virgo. On 1 June the gibbous Moon is above and to the right or south of Saturn, while on 28 June it is directly above the planet.

Planets in the morning twilight Venus appears in the second week of the month low in the northeast in Taurus, close to Jupiter. On 18 June a thin crescent Moon is to the left or north of the planet. Jupiter is low in the north-east in Taurus. On 17 June the crescent

Moon is above and to the left or north of the planet.

6:00 pm on 27 June — Mars, Saturn and the Moon

70


Planets Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Date

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

1

7:22

17:11

7:35

17:18

12:37

0:06

5:48

16:07

14:25

3:07

2

7:29

17:16

7:27

17:12

12:34

0:04

5:45

16:03

14:20

3:03

3

7:35

17:20

7:20

17:07

12:31

0:02

5:42

16:00

14:16

2:59

4

7:41

17:25

7:13

17:01

12:28

0:00

5:39

15:57

14:12

2:55

23:58 7:47

17:29

7:05

16:55

12:25

23:56

5:37

15:54

14:08

2:51

6

7:53

17:34

6:58

16:50

12:22

23:54

5:34

15:51

14:04

2:47

7

7:58

17:39

6:50

16:44

12:19

23:52

5:31

15:48

14:00

2:43

8

8:03

17:43

6:43

16:39

12:17

23:50

5:28

15:45

13:56

2:39

9

8:08

17:48

6:35

16:33

12:14

23:49

5:25

15:42

13:52

2:35

10

8:13

17:52

6:28

16:28

12:11

23:47

5:22

15:38

13:48

2:31

11

8:17

17:57

6:21

16:23

12:08

23:45

5:20

15:35

13:44

2:27

12

8:21

18:01

6:13

16:17

12:05

23:43

5:17

15:32

13:40

2:22

13

8:24

18:06

6:06

16:12

12:02

23:41

5:14

15:29

13:36

2:18

14

8:27

18:10

6:00

16:07

11:59

23:40

5:11

15:26

13:32

2:14

15

8:30

18:14

5:53

16:02

11:57

23:38

5:08

15:23

13:28

2:10

16

8:33

18:18

5:46

15:57

11:54

23:36

5:05

15:20

13:24

2:06

17

8:35

18:22

5:40

15:52

11:51

23:35

5:03

15:16

13:20

2:02

18

8:37

18:26

5:34

15:48

11:48

23:33

5:00

15:13

13:16

1:58

19

8:39

18:30

5:28

15:43

11:45

23:31

4:57

15:10

13:12

1:54

20

8:40

18:33

5:22

15:39

11:43

23:30

4:54

15:07

13:08

1:50

21

8:42

18:36

5:16

15:34

11:40

23:28

4:51

15:04

13:04

1:46

22

8:42

18:39

5:11

15:30

11:37

23:26

4:48

15:01

13:00

1:43

23

8:43

18:42

5:05

15:26

11:34

23:25

4:45

14:58

12:56

1:39

24

8:43

18:45

5:00

15:22

11:32

23:23

4:42

14:54

12:52

1:35

25

8:44

18:48

4:56

15:18

11:29

23:22

4:40

14:51

12:48

1:31

26

8:43

18:50

4:51

15:14

11:26

23:20

4:37

14:48

12:45

1:27

27

8:43

18:52

4:46

15:11

11:24

23:19

4:34

14:45

12:41

1:23

28

8:42

18:54

4:42

15:07

11:21

23:17

4:31

14:42

12:37

1:19

29

8:42

18:55

4:38

15:04

11:18

23:16

4:28

14:39

12:33

1:15

30

8:40

18:57

4:34

15:00

11:15

23:14

4:25

14:35

12:29

1:11


71

JUN

5


TWILIGHT end

Nautical

Civil

Rise

Set

Civil

Nautical

5:53

6:24

6:52

16:54

17:22

17:52

2

Saturday

5:54

6:25

6:52

16:54

17:21

17:52

3

Sunday

5:54

6:25

6:53

16:54

17:21

17:52

4

Monday

5:55

6:26

6:53

16:54

17:21

17:52

5

Tuesday

5:55

6:26

6:54

16:53

17:21

17:52

6

Wednesday

5:56

6:27

6:54

16:53

17:21

17:52

7

Thursday

5:56

6:27

6:55

16:53

17:21

17:52

8

Friday

5:57

6:28

6:55

16:53

17:21

17:52

9

Saturday

5:57

6:28

6:56

16:53

17:20

17:52

Sunday

5:58

6:29

6:56

16:53

17:20

17:52

10

JUN

Day Friday

sun

11

Monday

5:58

6:29

6:57

16:53

17:20

17:52

12

Tuesday

5:58

6:29

6:57

16:53

17:20

17:52

13

Wednesday

5:59

6:30

6:58

16:53

17:21

17:52

14

Thursday

5:59

6:30

6:58

16:53

17:21

17:52

15

Friday

5:59

6:31

6:58

16:53

17:21

17:52

16

Saturday

6:00

6:31

6:59

16:53

17:21

17:52

17

Sunday

6:00

6:31

6:59

16:53

17:21

17:52

18

Monday

6:00

6:32

6:59

16:53

17:21

17:52

19

Tuesday

6:01

6:32

7:00

16:54

17:21

17:52

20

Wednesday

6:01

6:32

7:00

16:54

17:21

17:53

21

Thursday

6:01

6:32

7:00

16:54

17:22

17:53

22

Friday

6:01

6:33

7:00

16:54

17:22

17:53

23

Saturday

6:01

6:33

7:00

16:54

17:22

17:53

24

Sunday

6:02

6:33

7:01

16:55

17:22

17:54

25

Monday

6:02

6:33

7:01

16:55

17:23

17:54

26

Tuesday

6:02

6:33

7:01

16:55

17:23

17:54

27

Wednesday

6:02

6:33

7:01

16:56

17:23

17:55

28

Thursday

6:02

6:33

7:01

16:56

17:24

17:55

29

Friday

6:02

6:33

7:01

16:56

17:24

17:55

30

Saturday

6:02

6:33

7:01

16:57

17:24

17:56

72


Moon and tides MOON


Rise

Set

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

14:08

2:45

4:53

1.51

10:58

0.41

17:30

1.78

23:59

0.42

1

19:15

2.00

3

14:53

3:55

5:54

1.51

11:49

0.39

18:23

1.90

15:44

5:05

0:58

0.32

6:53

1.51

12:41

0.38

2

16:42

6:15

1:54

0.23

7:50

1.51

13:33

0.38

20:08

2.07

4

17:46

7:21

2:49

0.19

8:47

1.49

14:26

0.40

21:00

2.08

5

18:53

8:19

3:43

0.19

9:43

1.47

15:19

0.44

21:51

2.04

6

20:00

9:10

4:36

0.23

10:37

1.45

16:14

0.49

22:42

1.95

7

23:32

1.82

21:05

9:54

5:28

0.29

11:31

1.42

17:08

0.56

22:07

10:32

6:19

0.37

12:25

1.40

18:04

0.63

8

23:07

11:07

0:24

1.68

7:08

0.45

13:18

1.39

11:38

1:15

1.54

7:56

0.52

14:14

1.40

20:06

0.75

11

0:04

12:09

2:11

1.42

8:41

0.56

15:07

1.43

21:14

0.76

12

9 19:02

0.70

10

12:40

3:10

1.33

9:27

0.59

16:00

1.48

22:22

0.74

13

13:11

4:08

1.29

10:12

0.60

16:49

1.54

23:22

0.69

14

18:16

1.66

16

2:50

13:45

5:04

1.27

10:56

0.60

17:34

1.60

3:44

14:22

0:13

0.62

5:55

1.28

11:38

0.59

15

4:38

15:03

0:56

0.56

6:41

1.29

12:19

0.58

18:56

1.72

17

5:31

15:48

1:35

0.50

7:23

1.31

12:58

0.57

19:33

1.76

18

6:22

16:38

2:13

0.46

8:03

1.32

13:36

0.56

20:11

1.79

19

7:09

17:31

2:49

0.43

8:43

1.33

14:15

0.55

20:47

1.81

20

7:53

18:28

3:27

0.41

9:22

1.34

14:55

0.55

21:25

1.81

21

8:34

19:26

4:04

0.40

10:02

1.34

15:36

0.56

22:04

1.79

22

9:11

20:25

4:43

0.40

10:45

1.35

16:21

0.58

22:45

1.74

23

23:28

1.68

9:46

21:25

5:24

0.41

11:31

1.37

17:09

0.60

10:20

22:26

6:07

0.42

12:20

1.39

18:02

0.63

10:53

23:28

11:27

24 25

0:16

1.60

6:52

0.43

13:13

1.43

19:03

0.65

26

1:11

1.52

7:42

0.44

14:10

1.49

20:13

0.65

27

12:04

0:32

2:15

1.44

8:35

0.45

15:09

1.57

21:29

0.60

28

12:45

1:39

3:24

1.39

9:31

0.46

16:10

1.67

22:43

0.52

29

13:32

2:47

4:34

1.37

10:30

0.45

17:09

1.78

23:50

0.41

30

Tidal predictions for Sydney only. Tidal information provided courtesy of the Sydney Ports Corporation. © Commonwealth of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology, National Tidal Centre.


73

JUN

1:00 1:55

JUL

Key





Bright Star


M1 MERCURY ON 7 JULY

M2 MERCURY on 21 July M MARS

S Saturn

74


This star map shows the ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS, Non-Zodiac Constellations and stars of the night sky as seen from Sydney at: 6.30 pm on 7 July 5.30 pm on 21 July For other dates subtract or add half an hour each week.

July 2012 The evening sky See star map opposite Scorpius, the Scorpion, with its curved line of bright stars is high in the eastern sky. Below it is the constellation of Sagittarius, the Archer. In old drawings of the constellation the Archer is depicted as a centaur, a half-human and half-horse creature like the constellation Centaurus. The common name of Sagittarius, however, is the Teapot. The aptness of this name can be verified in a quick glance at the stars of the constellation with the handle below, the spout above and the lid to the left or north. Spica, the brightest star in the constellation of Virgo, is high in the north. This star at a distance of 250 light years from us consists of two hot and massive stars whirling around each other every four days. They are so close that they cannot be seen as separate stars through a telescope. Instead astronomers use a device called a spectrograph, which breaks the starlight into its component colours and allows them to measure the velocities of the two stars as they alternately approach and move away from us.

Below Spica we find the brilliant orange-coloured Arcturus, the brightest star in the constellation of Boötes, the Herdsman. July is the best time to view this star, which is one of the brightest stars as viewed from the northern hemisphere. The Southern Cross is high in the south with the pointer stars almost horizontal. The pointer stars are part of the large constellation of Centaurus, the Centaur, which surrounds the Cross on three sides. D IA R Y F O R J U L Y 2 0 1 2

4

Wednesday

Full Moon

4:52 am

5

Thursday

Earth furthest from the Sun (aphelion)

2:00 pm

11

Wednesday

Last quarter

19

Thursday

New Moon

2:24 pm

26

Thursday

First quarter

6:56 pm

11:48 am


75

Planets in the evening twilight Mercury disappears leaving Mars and Saturn as the evening planets. Mercury is low in the western sky in Cancer but disappears into

the twilight during the second half of the month. On 3 July Mercury passes about three moon-widths from the star cluster Praesepe. On 20 July a very thin crescent Moon is below and to the left or south of Mercury. Mars is in the north-west in Virgo. On 24 July the crescent Moon is

below and to the left or west of the planet. Saturn is high in the northern sky in Virgo. On 25 July the crescent Moon is to the left or west of Saturn, while on the next evening the first quarter Moon is above the planet.

Planets in the morning twilight Venus is in the north-east in Taurus, close to Jupiter for the first half of the month. On 8 to 10 July Venus passes about two moonwidths from the bright star Aldebaran. On 16 July the crescent Moon is below and to the left or north of the planet. Jupiter is also in the north-east in Taurus. On 15 July the crescent


6:00 am on 16 July — Venus, Jupiter and the Moon

76


Planets Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

1

8:39

18:58

4:31

14:57

11:13

23:13

4:22

14:32

12:25

1:07

2

8:38

18:59

4:27

14:54

11:10

23:11

4:19

14:29

12:21

1:03

3

8:36

18:59

4:24

14:51

11:07

23:10

4:16

14:26

12:17

0:59

4

8:34

19:00

4:21

14:48

11:05

23:08

4:13

14:23

12:13

0:56

5

8:31

19:00

4:18

14:45

11:02

23:07

4:10

14:20

12:09

0:52

6

8:29

18:59

4:15

14:43

11:00

23:06

4:07

14:16

12:05

0:48

7

8:26

18:59

4:12

14:40

10:57

23:04

4:04

14:13

12:01

0:44

8

8:23

18:58

4:10

14:37

10:54

23:03

4:01

14:10

11:57

0:40

9

8:20

18:56

4:07

14:35

10:52

23:01

3:59

14:07

11:54

0:36

10

8:16

18:55

4:05

14:33

10:49

23:00

3:56

14:04

11:50

0:33

11

8:12

18:53

4:03

14:30

10:47

22:59

3:53

14:00

11:46

0:29

12

8:08

18:51

4:01

14:28

10:44

22:57

3:50

13:57

11:42

0:25

13

8:04

18:48

3:59

14:26

10:41

22:56

3:47

13:54

11:38

0:21

14

8:00

18:45

3:58

14:24

10:39

22:55

3:44

13:51

11:34

0:17

15

7:55

18:41

3:56

14:22

10:36

22:54

3:41

13:48

11:30

0:14

16

7:50

18:38

3:55

14:20

10:34

22:52

3:38

13:44

11:26

0:10

17

7:45

18:33

3:53

14:19

10:31

22:51

3:35

13:41

11:23

0:06

18

7:40

18:29

3:52

14:17

10:29

22:50

3:32

13:38

11:19

0:02

19

7:34

18:24

3:51

14:15

10:26

22:49

3:29

13:35

11:15

23:55

20

7:28

18:18

3:50

14:14

10:24

22:47

3:26

13:32

11:11

23:51

21

7:22

18:13

3:49

14:12

10:21

22:46

3:22

13:28

11:07

23:47

22

7:16

18:06

3:48

14:11

10:19

22:45

3:19

13:25

11:03

23:44

23

7:10

18:00

3:47

14:09

10:16

22:44

3:16

13:22

11:00

23:40

24

7:04

17:53

3:46

14:08

10:14

22:42

3:13

13:19

10:56

23:36

25

6:57

17:47

3:46

14:07

10:11

22:41

3:10

13:15

10:52

23:32

26

6:51

17:40

3:45

14:06

10:09

22:40

3:07

13:12

10:48

23:29

27

6:45

17:32

3:44

14:05

10:06

22:39

3:04

13:09

10:44

23:25

28

6:38

17:25

3:44

14:04

10:04

22:38

3:01

13:06

10:41

23:21

29

6:32

17:18

3:43

14:03

10:01

22:37

2:58

13:02

10:37

23:18

30

6:26

17:10

3:43

14:02

9:59

22:36

2:55

12:59

10:33

23:14

31

6:20

17:03

3:43

14:01

9:56

22:35

2:52

12:56

10:29

23:10

23:59


77

JUL

Date


JUL

1

Day Sunday

sun

TWILIGHT end

Nautical

Civil

Rise

Set

Civil

Nautical

6:02

6:33

7:01

16:57

17:25

17:56

2

Monday

6:02

6:33

7:01

16:58

17:25

17:56

3

Tuesday

6:02

6:33

7:01

16:58

17:26

17:57

4

Wednesday

6:02

6:33

7:01

16:59

17:26

17:57

5

Thursday

6:02

6:33

7:01

16:59

17:27

17:58

6

Friday

6:02

6:33

7:01

16:59

17:27

17:58

7

Saturday

6:02

6:33

7:00

17:00

17:27

17:58

8

Sunday

6:02

6:33

7:00

17:00

17:28

17:59

9

Monday

6:02

6:33

7:00

17:01

17:28

17:59

10

Tuesday

6:01

6:32

7:00

17:02

17:29

18:00

11

Wednesday

6:01

6:32

6:59

17:02

17:30

18:00

12

Thursday

6:01

6:32

6:59

17:03

17:30

18:01

13

Friday

6:01

6:31

6:59

17:03

17:31

18:01

14

Saturday

6:00

6:31

6:58

17:04

17:31

18:02

15

Sunday

6:00

6:31

6:58

17:04

17:32

18:02

16

Monday

6:00

6:30

6:58

17:05

17:32

18:03

17

Tuesday

5:59

6:30

6:57

17:06

17:33

18:04

18

Wednesday

5:59

6:30

6:57

17:06

17:33

18:04

19

Thursday

5:59

6:29

6:56

17:07

17:34

18:05

20

Friday

5:58

6:29

6:56

17:08

17:35

18:05

21

Saturday

5:58

6:28

6:55

17:08

17:35

18:06

22

Sunday

5:57

6:28

6:55

17:09

17:36

18:06

23

Monday

5:57

6:27

6:54

17:10

17:36

18:07

24

Tuesday

5:56

6:27

6:53

17:10

17:37

18:07

25

Wednesday

5:56

6:26

6:53

17:11

17:38

18:08

26

Thursday

5:55

6:25

6:52

17:12

17:38

18:09

27

Friday

5:55

6:25

6:51

17:12

17:39

18:09

28

Saturday

5:54

6:24

6:51

17:13

17:40

18:10

29

Sunday

5:53

6:23

6:50

17:14

17:40

18:10

30

Monday

5:53

6:23

6:49

17:14

17:41

18:11

31

Tuesday

5:52

6:22

6:48

17:15

17:42

18:12

78


Moon and tides MOON


Rise

Set

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

14:25

3:55

5:41

1.38

11:28

0.43

18:07

1.89

Time

H (m) Date 1

15:25

5:01

0:50

0.31

6:43

1.41

12:23

0.40

19:01

1.98

2

16:30

6:03

1:45

0.23

7:40

1.43

13:18

0.39

19:55

2.02

3

17:38

6:57

2:37

0.19

8:33

1.45

14:12

0.38

20:45

2.02

4

18:45

7:45

3:26

0.18

9:24

1.46

15:04

0.40

21:33

1.97

5

19:50

8:27

4:13

0.22

10:14

1.46

15:55

0.44

22:20

1.87

6

20:52

9:04

4:57

0.28

11:01

1.45

16:45

0.51

23:04

1.74

7

23:48

1.59

21:52

9:37

5:40

0.36

11:49

1.43

17:35

0.58

22:50

10:09

6:20

0.44

12:36

1.42

18:28

0.65

8

23:46

10:40

0:32

1.45

7:01

0.51

13:24

1.42

11:12

1:20

1.33

7:43

0.56

14:15

1.43

20:30

0.74

11

0:42

11:45

2:16

1.23

8:30

0.60

15:10

1.45

21:41

0.74

12

9 19:25

0.71

10

1:37

12:21

3:21

1.18

9:21

0.62

16:04

1.49

22:49

0.69

13

2:31

13:00

4:28

1.17

10:15

0.62

16:58

1.54

23:46

0.62

14

18:30

1.67

16

3:24

13:44

5:27

1.19

11:05

0.60

17:45

1.60

4:16

14:32

0:33

0.54

6:17

1.22

11:51

0.57

15

5:05

15:24

1:14

0.47

7:00

1.26

12:34

0.54

19:10

1.73

17

5:50

16:20

1:50

0.41

7:41

1.30

13:15

0.50

19:48

1.78

18

17:18

2:26

0.36

8:19

1.33

13:56

0.47

20:26

1.81

19

18:18

3:01

0.32

8:58

1.37

14:37

0.45

21:03

1.81

20

7:48

19:18

3:37

0.30

9:38

1.40

15:20

0.44

21:43

1.79

21

8:22

20:20

4:15

0.29

10:20

1.44

16:06

0.45

22:24

1.74

22

8:56

21:22

4:53

0.30

11:05

1.47

16:56

0.48

23:08

1.65

23

23:57

1.55

9:30

22:25

5:34

0.33

11:53

1.49

17:49

0.51

10:06

23:30

6:19

0.37

12:45

1.52

18:50

0.55

0:51

1.43

7:08

0.42

13:42

1.54

20:01

0.56

26

0:36

1:57

1.33

8:04

0.47

14:45

1.59

21:20

0.54

27

10:45 11:29

24 25

12:18

1:43

3:12

1.26

9:08

0.49

15:51

1.65

22:38

0.47

28

13:13

2:48

4:28

1.25

10:14

0.48

16:57

1.73

23:45

0.38

29

18:51

1.89

31

14:14

3:50

5:37

1.29

11:16

0.44

17:57

1.82

15:19

4:46

0:43

0.28

6:35

1.34

12:15

0.40

30


79

JUL

6:33 7:12

AU G

Key





Bright Star


M MARS saturn S

This star map shows the ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS, Non-Zodiac Constellations and stars of the night sky as seen from Sydney at: 7.30 pm on 7 August 6.30 pm on 21 August For other dates subtract or add half an hour each week.

80


August 2012 The evening sky See star map opposite The constellation of Sagittarius, the Archer, is high in the eastern sky. More commonly known as the Teapot, the handle is below and the spout above. The lower star on the left or north of the handle has the name Nunki, of Babylonian origin. At a distance of 225 light years from us, the star is fast-spinning and exceptionally hot. Above Sagittarius we find the curved line of bright stars forming Scorpius, the Scorpion, almost directly overhead. Its claws lie towards the west while the tail is towards the east. Antares, the Scorpion’s red heart, shines brightly near the zenith. Its name means ‘rival of Mars’ as the planet Mars is a similar colour and can have a similar brightness. In the north-east we see the bright star Altair, the brightest star in the constellation of Aquila, the Eagle. Altair can be easily recognised as it is flanked by two stars, Tarazed to the left or north and Alshain to the right or east. Closer to the horizon than Altair and to its left or north, we see the bright Northern Hemisphere star Vega, the brightest star in the constellation of Lyra, the Lyre. Thirteen thousand years ago Vega marked the pole in the northern hemisphere sky just as Polaris does today. In the southern part of the sky the Southern Cross is high in the south-west. Though we normally think of the Cross as consisting of five bright stars, the fifth star Epsilon is becoming difficult to see from our over-lit cities and suburbs. D IA R Y F O R AU G U S T 2 0 1 2

2

Thursday

Full Moon

1:27 pm

10

Friday

Last quarter

4:55 am

18

Saturday

New Moon

1:54 am

24

Friday

First quarter

11:54 pm

31

Friday

Full Moon

11:58 pm


81

Planets in the evening twilight Mars and Saturn have a conjunction. Mars is in the north-west sky in Virgo. From 13 to 17 August it

passes within three degrees or six moon-widths of Saturn. On 22 August the crescent Moon is above and to the left or west of Mars. Saturn is also in the north-west sky in Virgo.

Planets in the morning twilight Mercury appears low in the eastern sky in Cancer for a week or so

in the middle of the month. On 16 August a thin crescent Moon is above and to the left or north of the planet. Venus is in the north-east. It begins the month with Jupiter in Taurus, moves into Orion after a few days and crosses into Gemini in the middle of the month. On 14 August the crescent Moon is just below Venus. Jupiter is in the northern sky in Taurus. On 12 August the crescent

Moon is just below Jupiter.

6:30 pm on 22 August — Mars, Saturn and the Moon

82


Planets Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

1

6:14

16:56

3:42

14:00

9:54

22:33

2:49

12:53

10:25

23:07

2

6:09

16:49

3:42

14:00

9:52

22:32

2:45

12:49

10:22

23:03

3

6:03

16:43

3:42

13:59

9:49

22:31

2:42

12:46

10:18

22:59

4

5:59

16:36

3:42

13:58

9:47

22:30

2:39

12:43

10:14

22:56

5

5:54

16:30

3:42

13:58

9:44

22:29

2:36

12:39

10:10

22:52

6

5:50

16:25

3:42

13:57

9:42

22:28

2:33

12:36

10:06

22:49

7

5:46

16:19

3:42

13:57

9:40

22:27

2:30

12:33

10:03

22:45

8

5:43

16:15

3:42

13:57

9:37

22:26

2:26

12:29

9:59

22:41

9

5:40

16:11

3:42

13:56

9:35

22:25

2:23

12:26

9:55

22:38

10

5:37

16:07

3:42

13:56

9:33

22:24

2:20

12:23

9:51

22:34

11

5:35

16:04

3:42

13:56

9:30

22:23

2:17

12:19

9:48

22:31

12

5:34

16:01

3:42

13:56

9:28

22:22

2:14

12:16

9:44

22:27

13

5:32

15:59

3:42

13:56

9:26

22:21

2:10

12:13

9:40

22:23

14

5:32

15:58

3:42

13:56

9:23

22:20

2:07

12:09

9:36

22:20

15

5:31

15:57

3:43

13:56

9:21

22:19

2:04

12:06

9:33

22:16

16

5:31

15:57

3:43

13:56

9:19

22:18

2:01

12:02

9:29

22:13

17

5:31

15:57

3:43

13:56

9:17

22:18

1:57

11:59

9:25

22:09

18

5:32

15:58

3:43

13:56

9:14

22:17

1:54

11:56

9:21

22:06

19

5:33

15:59

3:43

13:56

9:12

22:16

1:51

11:52

9:18

22:02

20

5:34

16:01

3:44

13:57

9:10

22:15

1:47

11:49

9:14

21:58

21

5:35

16:03

3:44

13:57

9:08

22:14

1:44

11:45

9:10

21:55

22

5:37

16:06

3:44

13:57

9:05

22:13

1:41

11:42

9:07

21:51

23

5:38

16:09

3:44

13:58

9:03

22:12

1:37

11:39

9:03

21:48

24

5:40

16:13

3:45

13:58

9:01

22:11

1:34

11:35

8:59

21:44

25

5:42

16:17

3:45

13:59

8:59

22:11

1:31

11:32

8:55

21:41

26

5:44

16:21

3:45

13:59

8:57

22:10

1:27

11:28

8:52

21:37

27

5:46

16:26

3:45

14:00

8:55

22:09

1:24

11:25

8:48

21:34

28

5:48

16:30

3:46

14:01

8:52

22:08

1:20

11:21

8:44

21:30

29

5:50

16:35

3:46

14:01

8:50

22:07

1:17

11:18

8:41

21:27

30

5:52

16:41

3:46

14:02

8:48

22:07

1:14

11:14

8:37

21:23

31

5:54

16:46

3:46

14:03

8:46

22:06

1:10

11:11

8:33

21:20


83

AU G

Date

Sun and twilight twilight start

TWILIGHT end

Date

Day

Nautical

Civil

Rise

Set

Civil

Nautical

1

Wednesday

5:51

6:21

6:48

17:16

17:42

18:12

2

Thursday

5:50

6:20

6:47

17:16

17:43

18:13

3

Friday

5:50

6:20

6:46

17:17

17:43

18:13

4

Saturday

5:49

6:19

6:45

17:18

17:44

18:14

5

Sunday

5:48

6:18

6:44

17:19

17:45

18:15

6

Monday

5:47

6:17

6:43

17:19

17:45

18:15

7

Tuesday

5:46

6:16

6:42

17:20

17:46

18:16

8

Wednesday

5:46

6:15

6:41

17:21

17:47

18:16

9

Thursday

5:45

6:14

6:40

17:21

17:47

18:17

Friday

5:44

6:13

6:39

17:22

17:48

18:18

10

AU G

sun

11

Saturday

5:43

6:12

6:38

17:23

17:49

18:18

12

Sunday

5:42

6:11

6:37

17:23

17:49

18:19

13

Monday

5:41

6:10

6:36

17:24

17:50

18:19

14

Tuesday

5:40

6:09

6:35

17:25

17:51

18:20

15

Wednesday

5:39

6:08

6:34

17:26

17:51

18:21

16

Thursday

5:38

6:07

6:33

17:26

17:52

18:21

17

Friday

5:37

6:06

6:32

17:27

17:53

18:22

18

Saturday

5:36

6:05

6:31

17:28

17:53

18:23

19

Sunday

5:35

6:04

6:30

17:28

17:54

18:23

20

Monday

5:34

6:03

6:29

17:29

17:55

18:24

21

Tuesday

5:33

6:02

6:27

17:30

17:55

18:24

22

Wednesday

5:32

6:01

6:26

17:30

17:56

18:25

23

Thursday

5:30

6:00

6:25

17:31

17:57

18:26

24

Friday

5:29

5:58

6:24

17:32

17:57

18:26

25

Saturday

5:28

5:57

6:22

17:33

17:58

18:27

26

Sunday

5:27

5:56

6:21

17:33

17:58

18:28

27

Monday

5:26

5:55

6:20

17:34

17:59

18:28

28

Tuesday

5:24

5:54

6:19

17:35

18:00

18:29

29

Wednesday

5:23

5:52

6:17

17:35

18:00

18:29

30

Thursday

5:22

5:51

6:16

17:36

18:01

18:30

31

Friday

5:21

5:50

6:15

17:37

18:02

18:31

84


Moon and tides MOON


Rise

Set

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

16:26

5:36

1:33

0.22

7:28

1.40

13:08

0.36

19:41

H (m) Date 1.92

1

17:31

6:20

2:19

0.18

8:16

1.45

13:59

0.34

20:28

1.91

2

18:35

6:59

3:01

0.18

9:01

1.47

14:47

0.35

21:12

1.84

3

19:37

7:34

3:42

0.22

9:45

1.49

15:34

0.38

21:54

1.74

4

20:36

8:07

4:19

0.28

10:28

1.48

16:20

0.44

22:33

1.62

5

21:34

8:39

4:55

0.35

11:09

1.47

17:05

0.51

23:12

1.49

6

22:31

9:11

5:30

0.42

11:50

1.45

17:52

0.58

23:51

1.36

7

23:26

0:21

9:44

6:05

0.49

12:33

1.43

18:44

0.64

10:19

0:35

1.25

6:45

0.55

13:21

1.41

19:45

0.68

9

8

10:57

1:29

1.16

7:32

0.60

14:15

1.41

20:56

0.69

10

1:15

11:39

2:37

1.10

8:31

0.64

15:17

1.42

22:10

0.66

11

2:07

12:25

3:52

1.09

9:35

0.64

16:19

1.46

23:13

0.59

12

18:00

1.60

14

2:57

13:15

5:00

1.13

10:34

0.61

17:14

1.53

3:44

14:09

0:03

0.51

5:52

1.18

11:27

0.56

13

4:28

15:06

0:44

0.43

6:36

1.25

12:13

0.50

18:43

1.68

15

5:08

16:06

1:20

0.35

7:15

1.31

12:55

0.43

19:22

1.74

16

5:46

17:07

1:55

0.28

7:53

1.38

13:37

0.38

20:00

1.78

17

6:22

18:09

2:30

0.23

8:31

1.45

14:20

0.33

20:41

1.78

18

19:13

3:05

0.20

9:12

1.51

15:05

0.31

21:22

1.75

19

20:17

3:43

0.20

9:54

1.57

15:53

0.31

22:06

1.68

20

8:08

21:22

4:22

0.23

10:39

1.60

16:45

0.34

22:52

1.58

21

23:44

1.45

8:47

22:29

5:04

0.28

11:27

1.61

17:41

0.38

9:29

23:35

5:50

0.36

12:20

1.60

18:44

0.44

0:42

1.33

6:43

0.44

13:19

1.58

19:57

0.48

24

0:40

1:50

1.22

7:45

0.50

14:27

1.58

21:17

0.47

25

10:16 11:09

22 23

12:07

1:42

3:10

1.18

8:56

0.52

15:39

1.61

22:32

0.42

26

13:09

2:39

4:28

1.20

10:07

0.50

16:47

1.66

23:35

0.35

27

18:38

1.76

29

14:13

3:30

5:31

1.27

11:12

0.45

17:46

1.72

15:17

4:15

0:28

0.28

6:25

1.35

12:09

0.39

28

16:21

4:55

1:13

0.23

7:12

1.42

13:00

0.34

19:25

1.77

30

17:22

5:32

1:53

0.21

7:55

1.48

13:47

0.31

20:07

1.74

31


85

AU G

6:57 7:32

S EP

Key





Bright Star


M2 mercury ON 21 SEPTEMBER M MARS

S SATURN

86


This star map shows the ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS, Non-Zodiac Constellations and stars of the night sky as seen from Sydney at: 7.30 pm on 7 September 6.30 pm on 21 September For other dates subtract or add half an hour each week.

September 2012 The evening sky See star map opposite The constellation of Sagittarius, the Archer, is overhead while Scorpius, the Scorpion, with its bright red star Antares is high in the western sky. In the north Altair, the brightest star in the constellation of Aquila, the Eagle, is prominent together with its two attendant stars, one on either side. Below Altair and due north, we find Vega, the brightest star in the constellation of Lyra, the Lyre. September is the best time of the year to see this star, which is prominent from the northern hemisphere as it is below the horizon for most of the year. A little south of east we can see Fomalhaut, the brightest star in the constellation of Pisces Austrinus, the Southern Fish. The star is 25 light years from us and is surrounded by a disc of dusty debris within which astronomers have detected a planet circling the star. The Southern Cross is almost on its side in the south-west. If we extend an imaginary line through the main axis of the Cross towards the left or east we reach the star Achernar, the brightest star of the constellation of Eridanus, the River, near the horizon.

Equinox The spring equinox occurs when the Sun crosses from the northern to the southern part of the sky. Until 2020 this takes place on 23 September each year. D IA R Y F O R S EPTEMBE R 2 0 1 2

8

Saturday

Last quarter

11:15 pm

16

Sunday

New Moon

12:11 pm

23

Sunday

Spring equinox

12:49 am

First quarter

30

Summer time begins (NZ)

2:00 am

Full Moon

1:19 pm

Sunday

5:41 am


87

Planets in the evening twilight Mercury joins Mars and Saturn in the evening sky. Mercury appears low in the west in Virgo during the last few days

of the month. Mars is in the west, moving from Virgo into Libra early in the month. On 19 September the crescent Moon is below Mars, while on the next evening it is above the planet. Saturn is also in the west in Virgo. On 18 September a thin crescent Moon is below and to the left or south of the planet.

Planets in the morning twilight Venus is low in the north-east sky. It moves from Gemini into Cancer early in the month and into Leo near the end. On 13 September the crescent Moon is above and to the right or east of the planet. Jupiter is in the north in Taurus. On 8 September the last quarter

Moon is above and to the left or west of Jupiter, while on the next morning the crescent Moon is below and to the right or east of the planet.

5:00 am on 13 September — Venus and the Moon

88


Planets Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Date

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

1

5:56

16:51

3:46

14:04

8:44

22:05

1:07

11:07

8:30

21:16

2

5:58

16:57

3:47

14:05

8:42

22:04

1:03

11:04

8:26

21:13

3

5:59

17:02

3:47

14:05

8:40

22:04

1:00

11:00

8:22

21:09

4

6:01

17:08

3:47

14:06

8:38

22:03

0:56

10:57

8:19

21:06

5

6:02

17:13

3:47

14:07

8:36

22:02

0:53

10:53

8:15

21:03

6

6:04

17:19

3:47

14:08

8:34

22:01

0:49

10:49

8:11

20:59

7

6:05

17:24

3:47

14:09

8:32

22:01

0:46

10:46

8:08

20:56

8

6:06

17:29

3:48

14:10

8:30

22:00

0:42

10:42

8:04

20:52

9

6:07

17:34

3:48

14:12

8:28

21:59

0:39

10:39

8:00

20:49

10

6:08

17:40

3:48

14:13

8:26

21:59

0:35

10:35

7:57

20:45

11

6:09

17:45

3:48

14:14

8:24

21:58

0:32

10:31

7:53

20:42

12

6:09

17:50

3:48

14:15

8:22

21:57

0:28

10:28

7:49

20:38

13

6:10

17:55

3:48

14:16

8:20

21:57

0:24

10:24

7:46

20:35

14

6:11

17:59

3:48

14:18

8:18

21:56

0:21

10:20

7:42

20:32

15

6:11

18:04

3:48

14:19

8:16

21:55

0:17

10:17

7:38

20:28

16

6:12

18:09

3:48

14:20

8:14

21:55

0:13

10:13

7:35

20:25

17

6:12

18:13

3:48

14:21

8:12

21:54

0:10

10:09

7:31

20:21

18

6:12

18:18

3:48

14:23

8:10

21:54

0:06

10:06

7:27

20:18

19

6:12

18:22

3:48

14:24

8:09

21:53

0:02

10:02

7:24

20:14

23:59 6:13

18:27

3:48

14:25

8:07

21:52

23:55

9:58

7:20

20:11

21

6:13

18:31

3:47

14:27

8:05

21:52

23:51

9:54

7:16

20:08

22

6:13

18:35

3:47

14:28

8:03

21:51

23:48

9:51

7:13

20:04

23

6:13

18:39

3:47

14:30

8:01

21:51

23:44

9:47

7:09

20:01

24

6:13

18:43

3:47

14:31

8:00

21:50

23:40

9:43

7:06

19:57

25

6:13

18:47

3:47

14:33

7:58

21:50

23:36

9:39

7:02

19:54

26

6:13

18:51

3:46

14:34

7:56

21:49

23:32

9:36

6:58

19:51

27

6:13

18:55

3:46

14:36

7:55

21:49

23:29

9:32

6:55

19:47

28

6:12

18:59

3:46

14:37

7:53

21:48

23:25

9:28

6:51

19:44

29

6:12

19:02

3:46

14:39

7:51

21:48

23:21

9:24

6:47

19:40

30

6:12

19:06

3:45

14:40

7:50

21:47

23:17

9:20

6:44

19:37


89

S EP

20


S EP

1

Day Saturday

sun

TWILIGHT end

Nautical

Civil

Rise

Set

Civil

Nautical

5:20

5:48

6:14

17:37

18:02

18:31

2

Sunday

5:18

5:47

6:12

17:38

18:03

18:32

3

Monday

5:17

5:46

6:11

17:39

18:04

18:33

4

Tuesday

5:16

5:45

6:10

17:39

18:04

18:33

5

Wednesday

5:14

5:43

6:08

17:40

18:05

18:34

6

Thursday

5:13

5:42

6:07

17:41

18:06

18:35

7

Friday

5:12

5:41

6:06

17:41

18:06

18:35

8

Saturday

5:10

5:39

6:04

17:42

18:07

18:36

9

Sunday

5:09

5:38

6:03

17:43

18:08

18:37

10

Monday

5:08

5:37

6:01

17:43

18:08

18:37

11

Tuesday

5:06

5:35

6:00

17:44

18:09

18:38

12

Wednesday

5:05

5:34

5:59

17:45

18:10

18:39

13

Thursday

5:04

5:32

5:57

17:45

18:10

18:39

14

Friday

5:02

5:31

5:56

17:46

18:11

18:40

15

Saturday

5:01

5:30

5:55

17:47

18:12

18:41

16

Sunday

4:59

5:28

5:53

17:47

18:12

18:41

17

Monday

4:58

5:27

5:52

17:48

18:13

18:42

18

Tuesday

4:57

5:26

5:50

17:49

18:14

18:43

19

Wednesday

4:55

5:24

5:49

17:49

18:14

18:43

20

Thursday

4:54

5:23

5:48

17:50

18:15

18:44

21

Friday

4:52

5:21

5:46

17:51

18:16

18:45

22

Saturday

4:51

5:20

5:45

17:52

18:16

18:46

23

Sunday

4:50

5:19

5:43

17:52

18:17

18:46

24

Monday

4:48

5:17

5:42

17:53

18:18

18:47

25

Tuesday

4:47

5:16

5:41

17:54

18:19

18:48

26

Wednesday

4:45

5:14

5:39

17:54

18:19

18:48

27

Thursday

4:44

5:13

5:38

17:55

18:20

18:49

28

Friday

4:42

5:12

5:36

17:56

18:21

18:50

29

Saturday

4:41

5:10

5:35

17:56

18:21

18:51

30

Sunday

4:39

5:09

5:34

17:57

18:22

18:52

90


Moon and tides MOON


Rise

Set

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

18:22

6:06

2:30

0.22

8:35

1.52

14:31

0.32

20:47

H (m) Date 1.68

1

19:21

6:38

3:05

0.25

9:14

1.54

15:14

0.34

21:26

1.59

2

20:19

7:10

3:38

0.30

9:51

1.54

15:56

0.39

22:02

1.49

3

21:15

7:43

4:10

0.36

10:27

1.53

16:37

0.44

22:39

1.39

4

22:11

8:18

4:41

0.43

11:04

1.50

17:20

0.50

23:17

1.29

5

19:02

0.61

7

23:05

8:55

5:15

0.50

11:44

1.47

18:07

0.56

23:58

9:35

0:00

1.20

5:54

0.56

12:30

1.43

10:19

0:52

1.13

6:42

0.62

13:23

1.39

20:10

0.63

8

0:48

11:07

1:58

1.08

7:44

0.66

14:26

1.38

21:23

0.62

9

1:36

11:58

3:15

1.07

8:55

0.66

15:34

1.40

22:29

0.57

10

23:21

0.49

2:21

12:54

4:26

1.11

10:01

0.63

16:35

1.46

3:02

13:52

5:20

1.19

10:59

0.56

17:26

1.54

6

11 12

3:41

14:52

0:03

0.40

6:04

1.28

11:48

0.47

18:10

1.61

13

4:18

15:53

0:41

0.31

6:44

1.38

12:33

0.38

18:52

1.68

14

4:54

16:57

1:17

0.24

7:22

1.49

13:18

0.30

19:33

1.72

15

5:29

18:02

1:53

0.19

8:02

1.59

14:04

0.24

20:16

1.72

16

6:06

19:08

2:31

0.17

8:44

1.67

14:52

0.20

21:02

1.68

17

6:44

20:16

3:11

0.18

9:29

1.72

15:43

0.19

21:50

1.60

18

7:27

21:25

3:53

0.23

10:15

1.75

16:36

0.22

22:41

1.49

19

8:13

22:32

4:38

0.30

11:05

1.73

17:34

0.28

23:36

1.38

20

9:05

23:36

5:29

0.39

12:00

1.68

18:39

0.34

0:39

1.27

6:26

0.48

13:01

1.62

19:52

0.39

22

0:34

1:50

1.19

7:32

0.54

14:11

1.58

21:07

0.41

23

10:02 11:03

21

1:27

3:09

1.18

8:48

0.56

15:25

1.56

22:15

0.39

24

2:13

4:20

1.23

10:01

0.53

16:33

1.58

23:14

0.35

25

18:19

1.61

27

14:12

2:54

5:18

1.31

11:06

0.47

17:30

1.60

15:13

3:31

0:01

0.31

6:07

1.40

12:01

0.41

26

16:12

4:06

0:44

0.28

6:50

1.48

12:51

0.36

19:03

1.60

28

17:11

4:38

1:20

0.28

7:30

1.54

13:35

0.33

19:44

1.57

29

18:08

5:10

1:54

0.29

8:06

1.59

14:15

0.33

20:22

1.52

30

Tidal predictions for Sydney only. Tidal information provided courtesy of the Sydney Ports Corporation. © Commonwealth of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology, National Tidal Centre.


91

S EP

12:06 13:09

Key





Bright Star


OCT

M1 MERCURY ON 7 OCTOBER M2 MERCURY ON 21 OCTOBER

M MARS

92


This star map shows the ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS, Non-Zodiac Constellations and stars of the night sky as seen from Sydney at: 8.30 pm on 7 October 7.30 pm on 21 October For other dates subtract or add half an hour each week.

October 2012 The evening sky See star map opposite Scorpius, the Scorpion, is upside down low in the western sky. Its claws are near the horizon while its tail is up in the sky. At the end of the long tail we find the star Shaula, coming from an Arabic phrase meaning ‘the sting’. At a distance of 365 light years from us, Shaula is an interesting triple star system with two hot massive stars and a third star that could be a white dwarf star (a compact and dense object) or a star that is still forming. Altair, the brightest star in the constellation of Aquila, the Eagle,

is high in the northern sky. This star is relatively close-by at a distance of 17 light years from Earth. Intrinsically it is about 10 times brighter than the Sun and spins around its axis in an exceptionally short period of about 10 hours. The Southern Cross is lying on its side, low in the south-west. The brightest star of the Cross is Acrux on the left or east of the constellation. This is made up of two hot stars that take over a thousand years to circle around each other. A spectrograph shows that one of these components is itself double, with its two stars racing around each other every 76 days. The Southern Cross can be used to find south. Extending a line through its main axis to the left or east, we reach Achernar, the brightest star in the constellation of Eridanus, the River. Half-way along the line is the South Celestial Pole (SCP), the point in the sky about which all the stars in the sky appear to circle each 24 hours. A line dropped down from the SCP indicates the direction due south. D IA R Y F O R OCTOBE R 2 0 1 2

7

Sunday

Summer time begins (Australia)

2:00 am

8

Monday

Last quarter

6:33 pm

15

Monday

New Moon

22

Monday

First quarter

2:32 pm

30

Tuesday

Full Moon

6:49 am

11:02 pm


93

Planets in the evening twilight Saturn is lost leaving just the two ‘M’ planets in the evening sky. Mercury is low in the west, moving from Virgo into Libra during

the second week of the month and then into Scorpius at the month’s end. On 5 October Mercury passes close to Saturn with just over six moon-widths between the two planets. On 17 October a thin crescent Moon is above and to the right or north of the planet. Mars is in the west, above Mercury and Saturn, moving from Libra

into Scorpius after the first week and then into Ophiuchus in the middle of the month. On 18 October the crescent Moon is below the planet. Saturn is in the west in Virgo but disappears into the twilight during

the second week of the month.

Planets in the morning twilight Venus is low in the east in Leo for most of the month but moves into Virgo at the end. On 3 and 4 October Venus passes just over one moon-width from the brightest star in Leo, Regulus. On 13 October a thin crescent Moon is above and to the right or south of the planet. Jupiter is in the northern sky in Taurus. On 6 October the gibbous

Moon is just to the left or west of Jupiter. 7:00 pm on 5 October — Mercury, Mars and Saturn

94


Planets Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

1

6:12

19:10

3:45

14:42

7:48

21:46

23:13

9:16

6:40

19:34

2

6:12

19:13

3:45

14:43

7:46

21:46

23:09

9:12

6:37

19:30

3

6:12

19:17

3:44

14:45

7:45

21:45

23:05

9:09

6:33

19:27

4

6:11

19:20

3:44

14:47

7:43

21:45

23:01

9:05

6:29

19:24

5

6:11

19:24

3:43

14:48

7:42

21:44

22:58

9:01

6:26

19:20

6

6:11

19:27

3:43

14:50

7:40

21:44

22:54

8:57

6:22

19:17

7

7:11

20:31

4:42

15:51

8:39

22:44

23:50

9:53

7:19

20:13

8

7:10

20:34

4:42

15:53

8:37

22:43

23:46

9:49

7:15

20:10

9

7:10

20:37

4:41

15:55

8:36

22:43

23:42

9:45

7:11

20:07

10

7:10

20:40

4:41

15:56

8:34

22:42

23:38

9:41

7:08

20:03

11

7:10

20:43

4:40

15:58

8:33

22:42

23:34

9:37

7:04

20:00

12

7:09

20:46

4:40

16:00

8:31

22:41

23:30

9:33

7:01

19:57

13

7:09

20:49

4:39

16:01

8:30

22:41

23:25

9:29

6:57

19:53

14

7:09

20:52

4:39

16:03

8:29

22:40

23:21

9:25

6:53

19:50

15

7:09

20:55

4:38

16:05

8:27

22:40

23:17

9:21

6:50

19:46

16

7:08

20:58

4:38

16:06

8:26

22:39

23:13

9:17

6:46

19:43

17

7:08

21:01

4:37

16:08

8:25

22:39

23:09

9:12

6:43

19:40

18

7:08

21:03

4:36

16:10

8:23

22:38

23:05

9:08

6:39

19:36

19

7:08

21:06

4:36

16:11

8:22

22:38

23:01

9:04

6:35

19:33

20

7:07

21:08

4:35

16:13

8:21

22:38

22:57

9:00

6:32

19:30

21

7:07

21:10

4:35

16:15

8:19

22:37

22:52

8:56

6:28

19:26

22

7:07

21:12

4:34

16:16

8:18

22:37

22:48

8:52

6:25

19:23

23

7:06

21:14

4:33

16:18

8:17

22:36

22:44

8:48

6:21

19:20

24

7:06

21:16

4:33

16:20

8:16

22:36

22:40

8:44

6:17

19:16

25

7:06

21:18

4:32

16:22

8:15

22:35

22:36

8:39

6:14

19:13

26

7:05

21:19

4:31

16:23

8:14

22:35

22:31

8:35

6:10

19:10

27

7:04

21:20

4:31

16:25

8:13

22:34

22:27

8:31

6:07

19:06

28

7:04

21:21

4:30

16:27

8:12

22:34

22:23

8:27

6:03

19:03

29

7:03

21:21

4:29

16:29

8:10

22:33

22:18

8:22

6:00

18:59

30

7:02

21:21

4:29

16:30

8:09

22:33

22:14

8:18

5:56

18:56

31

7:01

21:21

4:28

16:32

8:08

22:32

22:10

8:14

5:52

18:53


95

OCT

Date


TWILIGHT end

Nautical

Civil

Rise

Set

Civil

Nautical

4:38

5:07

5:32

17:58

18:23

18:52

2

Tuesday

4:37

5:06

5:31

17:59

18:24

18:53

3

Wednesday

4:35

5:05

5:30

17:59

18:24

18:54

4

Thursday

4:34

5:03

5:28

18:00

18:25

18:55

5

Friday

4:32

5:02

5:27

18:01

18:26

18:56

6

Saturday

4:31

5:00

5:26

18:02

18:27

18:56

7

Sunday

5:29

5:59

6:24

19:02

19:28

19:57

8

Monday

5:28

5:58

6:23

19:03

19:28

19:58

9

Tuesday

5:27

5:56

6:22

19:04

19:29

19:59

Wednesday

5:25

5:55

6:20

19:05

19:30

20:00

10

OCT

Day Monday

sun

11

Thursday

5:24

5:54

6:19

19:05

19:31

20:01

12

Friday

5:22

5:52

6:18

19:06

19:32

20:02

13

Saturday

5:21

5:51

6:16

19:07

19:32

20:03

14

Sunday

5:20

5:50

6:15

19:08

19:33

20:03

15

Monday

5:18

5:48

6:14

19:09

19:34

20:04

16

Tuesday

5:17

5:47

6:13

19:09

19:35

20:05

17

Wednesday

5:16

5:46

6:11

19:10

19:36

20:06

18

Thursday

5:14

5:45

6:10

19:11

19:37

20:07

19

Friday

5:13

5:43

6:09

19:12

19:38

20:08

20

Saturday

5:12

5:42

6:08

19:13

19:39

20:09

21

Sunday

5:10

5:41

6:07

19:14

19:39

20:10

22

Monday

5:09

5:40

6:05

19:14

19:40

20:11

23

Tuesday

5:08

5:38

6:04

19:15

19:41

20:12

24

Wednesday

5:06

5:37

6:03

19:16

19:42

20:13

25

Thursday

5:05

5:36

6:02

19:17

19:43

20:14

26

Friday

5:04

5:35

6:01

19:18

19:44

20:15

27

Saturday

5:03

5:34

6:00

19:19

19:45

20:16

28

Sunday

5:01

5:33

5:59

19:20

19:46

20:17

29

Monday

5:00

5:32

5:58

19:21

19:47

20:18

30

Tuesday

4:59

5:31

5:57

19:21

19:48

20:19

31

Wednesday

4:58

5:29

5:56

19:22

19:49

20:20

96


Moon and tides MOON


Rise

Set

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

19:05

5:43

2:26

0.32

8:41

1.61

14:55

0.34

20:59

H (m) Date 1.46

1

20:01

6:17

2:56

0.36

9:15

1.61

15:33

0.36

21:34

1.39

2

20:56

6:53

3:27

0.41

9:49

1.60

16:12

0.39

22:12

1.32

3

21:49

7:32

3:59

0.47

10:25

1.58

16:52

0.44

22:50

1.25

4

22:40

8:14

4:33

0.52

11:02

1.54

17:36

0.49

23:33

1.19

5

20:26

0.57

7

23:29

9:00

5:14

0.58

11:45

1.48

18:27

0.54

10:50

0:24

1.14

7:01

0.64

13:36

1.43

6

1:14

11:43

2:25

1.10

8:01

0.68

14:35

1.39

21:32

0.57

8

1:56

12:39

3:35

1.10

9:12

0.69

15:42

1.39

22:35

0.53

9

2:35

13:36

4:44

1.16

10:23

0.66

16:47

1.42

23:29

0.47

10

18:33

1.55

12

3:12

14:36

5:40

1.25

11:27

0.58

17:44

1.48

3:48

15:38

0:15

0.39

6:27

1.36

12:21

0.48

11

4:23

16:41

0:56

0.31

7:09

1.49

13:12

0.37

19:20

1.60

13

4:59

17:47

1:35

0.24

7:51

1.62

14:00

0.27

20:07

1.63

14

5:37

18:56

2:15

0.20

8:33

1.74

14:50

0.18

20:55

1.63

15

6:19

20:06

2:58

0.19

9:18

1.83

15:41

0.13

21:45

1.59

16

7:05

21:16

3:41

0.22

10:05

1.88

16:33

0.12

22:37

1.52

17

7:56

22:23

4:28

0.27

10:55

1.89

17:29

0.15

23:32

1.44

18

8:54

23:26

9:55 10:59

0:22

5:18

0.35

11:47

1.85

18:28

0.20

0:30

1.35

6:13

0.43

12:43

1.77

19:31

0.28

20

19

1:33

1.28

7:13

0.51

13:44

1.67

20:38

0.34

21

12:03

1:12

2:43

1.24

8:21

0.57

14:51

1.58

21:45

0.38

22

13:06

1:55

3:54

1.25

9:36

0.59

16:02

1.52

22:46

0.39

23

23:40

0.39

14:07

2:33

5:00

1.31

10:48

0.58

17:08

1.48

15:06

3:07

5:54

1.38

11:54

0.53

18:06

1.47

24 25

16:04

3:40

0:26

0.38

6:42

1.47

12:50

0.48

18:56

1.45

26

17:01

4:12

1:05

0.38

7:23

1.54

13:39

0.43

19:39

1.44

27

4:44

1:42

0.38

8:01

1.60

14:21

0.39

20:19

1.41

28

5:17

2:15

0.39

8:37

1.65

15:00

0.36

20:58

1.39

29

19:48

5:52

2:46

0.41

9:11

1.67

15:37

0.35

21:34

1.36

30

20:42

6:30

3:18

0.44

9:44

1.69

16:14

0.35

22:11

1.33

31


97

OCT

17:57 18:53

Key





Bright Star


M MARS

This star map shows the ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS, Non-Zodiac Constellations and stars of the night sky as seen from Sydney at: 9.30 pm on 7 November 8.30 pm on 21 November

N OV

For other dates subtract or add half an hour each week.

98


November 2012 The evening sky See star map opposite Pegasus, the Winged Horse, is in the northern sky. This is the best time of the year to see this famous northern hemisphere constellation. Though it lacks bright stars, it is easily recognisable with the help of four stars outlining ‘the great square of Pegasus’.

In the south-west Scorpius is disappearing below the horizon with only the stars of the tail visible. Over in the east Rigel, the brightest star in the constellation of Orion, the Hunter, is just rising above the horizon. This is the reverse of the situation in May but again reflects the Scorpion’s perpetual chase of the giant Orion. Another star that is making a return to the evening sky this month is Canopus, the second brightest star in the sky and the brightest star in the constellation of Carina, the Keel. This constellation is one of three nautically themed constellations adjacent to each other in the sky. The other two, Vela, the Sails, and Puppis, the Stern, will be better seen next month. Together with Carina, they made up the ancient constellation of Argo Navis, the Ship, before it was split. The Southern Cross is upside down in the south and so low in the sky that trees and houses easily block it from sight.

Eclipse of the Sun There will be a total eclipse of the Sun, visible from parts of Arnhem Land and Cape York in northern Australia, on the morning of Wednesday 14 November. For the rest of Australia and New Zealand the eclipse will be seen as partial in the early morning or at sunrise. (See more details on page 6.) D IA R Y F O R N OVEMBE R 2 0 1 2

7

Wednesday

Last quarter

11:36 am

14

Wednesday

New Moon

9:08 am

21

Wednesday

First quarter

1:31 am

29

Thursday

Full Moon

1:46 am


99

Planets in the evening twilight Mercury disappears but Jupiter joins Mars in the evening sky. Mercury is low in the west in Scorpius, disappearing into the twilight during the second week of the month. Mars is in the western sky, moving from Ophiuchus into Sagittarius during the second week of the month. On 16 November the crescent Moon is below and to the right or north of the planet. Jupiter appears in the north-east in Taurus soon after the middle

of the month. On 28 November the gibbous Moon is above and to the left or north of Jupiter, while on the next evening the full Moon is below and to the right or east of the planet.

Planets in the morning twilight Venus is low in the east mainly in Virgo, but moving into Libra at

the end of the month. On 12 November a thin crescent Moon is above and to the right or south of the planet. On 27 November Venus passes just over one moon-width from Saturn. Jupiter is in the north-west. On 2 November the gibbous Moon is

below and to the left or west of the planet. Saturn appears low in the east in Virgo during the second half of the month. 8:45 pm on 16 November — Mars and the Moon

100 2 0 1 2 A U S T R A L A S I A N S K Y G U I D E

Planets Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Date

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

1

7:00

21:20

4:27

16:34

8:07

22:32

22:05

8:10

5:49

18:49

2

6:58

21:19

4:27

16:36

8:06

22:31

22:01

8:05

5:45

18:46

3

6:56

21:18

4:26

16:38

8:06

22:31

21:57

8:01

5:42

18:43

4

6:54

21:15

4:25

16:39

8:05

22:30

21:52

7:57

5:38

18:39

5

6:52

21:13

4:25

16:41

8:04

22:30

21:48

7:53

5:34

18:36

6

6:49

21:09

4:24

16:43

8:03

22:29

21:44

7:48

5:31

18:33

7

6:46

21:05

4:23

16:45

8:02

22:29

21:39

7:44

5:27

18:29

8

6:43

21:00

4:23

16:47

8:01

22:28

21:35

7:40

5:24

18:26

9

6:39

20:54

4:22

16:49

8:00

22:28

21:30

7:35

5:20

18:22

10

6:34

20:47

4:21

16:50

8:00

22:27

21:26

7:31

5:16

18:19

11

6:29

20:40

4:21

16:52

7:59

22:27

21:21

7:26

5:13

18:16

12

6:24

20:31

4:20

16:54

7:58

22:26

21:17

7:22

5:09

18:12

13

6:18

20:22

4:19

16:56

7:57

22:26

21:12

7:18

5:06

18:09

14

6:12

20:12

4:19

16:58

7:57

22:25

21:08

7:13

5:02

18:06

15

6:05

20:02

4:18

17:00

7:56

22:24

21:04

7:09

4:59

18:02

16

5:58

19:51

4:18

17:02

7:55

22:24

20:59

7:05

4:55

17:59

17

5:51

19:40

4:17

17:04

7:55

22:23

20:55

7:00

4:51

17:56

18

5:44

19:29

4:16

17:06

7:54

22:23

20:50

6:56

4:48

17:52

19

5:37

19:18

4:16

17:08

7:53

22:22

20:46

6:51

4:44

17:49

20

5:30

19:07

4:15

17:10

7:53

22:21

20:41

6:47

4:41

17:45

21

5:24

18:58

4:15

17:11

7:52

22:21

20:36

6:42

4:37

17:42

22

5:17

18:49

4:14

17:13

7:52

22:20

20:32

6:38

4:33

17:39

23

5:11

18:41

4:14

17:15

7:51

22:19

20:27

6:34

4:30

17:35

24

5:06

18:34

4:13

17:17

7:51

22:19

20:23

6:29

4:26

17:32

25

5:01

18:28

4:13

17:19

7:50

22:18

20:18

6:25

4:23

17:28

26

4:57

18:22

4:13

17:21

7:50

22:17

20:14

6:20

4:19

17:25

27

4:53

18:18

4:12

17:23

7:49

22:16

20:09

6:16

4:15

17:22

28

4:49

18:15

4:12

17:25

7:49

22:16

20:05

6:11

4:12

17:18

29

4:46

18:12

4:11

17:27

7:48

22:15

20:00

6:07

4:08

17:15

30

4:43

18:11

4:11

17:30

7:48

22:14

19:56

6:02

4:05

17:11

N OV

2 0 1 2 A U S T R A L A S I A N S K Y G U I D E 101


Day Thursday

sun

TWILIGHT end

Nautical

Civil

Rise

Set

Civil

Nautical

4:57

5:28

5:55

19:23

19:50

20:22

2

Friday

4:56

5:27

5:54

19:24

19:51

20:23

3

Saturday

4:54

5:26

5:53

19:25

19:52

20:24

4

Sunday

4:53

5:25

5:52

19:26

19:53

20:25

5

Monday

4:52

5:24

5:51

19:27

19:54

20:26

6

Tuesday

4:51

5:23

5:50

19:28

19:55

20:27

7

Wednesday

4:50

5:23

5:49

19:29

19:56

20:28

8

Thursday

4:49

5:22

5:49

19:30

19:57

20:29

9

Friday

4:48

5:21

5:48

19:31

19:58

20:30

Saturday

4:47

5:20

5:47

19:32

19:59

20:32

10 11

Sunday

4:46

5:19

5:46

19:33

20:00

20:33

12

Monday

4:45

5:18

5:46

19:34

20:01

20:34

13

Tuesday

4:45

5:18

5:45

19:35

20:02

20:35

14

Wednesday

4:44

5:17

5:44

19:35

20:03

20:36

15

Thursday

4:43

5:16

5:44

19:36

20:04

20:37

16

Friday

4:42

5:15

5:43

19:37

20:05

20:38

17

Saturday

4:41

5:15

5:42

19:38

20:06

20:40

18

Sunday

4:41

5:14

5:42

19:39

20:07

20:41

19

Monday

4:40

5:14

5:41

19:40

20:08

20:42

20

Tuesday

4:39

5:13

5:41

19:41

20:09

20:43

21

Wednesday

4:39

5:12

5:40

19:42

20:10

20:44

22

Thursday

4:38

5:12

5:40

19:43

20:11

20:45

23

Friday

4:37

5:11

5:40

19:44

20:12

20:46

24

Saturday

4:37

5:11

5:39

19:45

20:13

20:47

25

Sunday

4:36

5:11

5:39

19:46

20:14

20:49

26

Monday

4:36

5:10

5:38

19:47

20:15

20:50

27

Tuesday

4:35

5:10

5:38

19:48

20:16

20:51

Wednesday

4:35

5:10

5:38

19:49

20:17

20:52

Thursday

4:35

5:09

5:38

19:50

20:18

20:53

30

Friday

4:34

5:09

5:38

19:51

20:19

20:54

N OV

28 29


Moon and tides MOON


Rise

Set

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

21:34

7:11

3:51

0.47

10:18

1.68

16:50

0.37

22:49

1.29

23:29

1.25

22:24

7:56

4:26

0.51

10:54

1.66

17:30

0.40

23:10

8:44

5:03

0.55

11:31

1.62

18:11

0.44

23:53

1 2 3

9:36

0:12

1.21

5:45

0.60

12:13

1.56

18:57

0.48

4

10:30

0:59

1.18

6:31

0.64

12:59

1.51

19:47

0.51

5

0:32

11:25

1:53

1.17

7:26

0.68

13:51

1.45

20:43

0.51

6

1:09

12:23

2:55

1.18

8:30

0.70

14:50

1.42

21:40

0.49

7

1:44

13:21

3:58

1.24

9:42

0.68

15:55

1.41

22:34

0.45

8

2:18

14:22

4:55

1.33

10:50

0.61

16:59

1.43

23:24

0.39

9

2:53

15:25

5:46

1.46

11:53

0.51

17:57

1.47

10

3:29

16:31

0:10

0.33

6:34

1.60

12:50

0.39

18:51

1.51

11

4:08

17:40

0:56

0.29

7:21

1.74

13:45

0.27

19:45

1.53

12

4:51

18:50

1:42

0.26

8:08

1.86

14:38

0.17

20:37

1.53

13

5:40

20:01

2:29

0.25

8:57

1.95

15:31

0.10

21:31

1.51

14

6:36

21:08

3:17

0.27

9:47

2.00

16:25

0.08

22:27

1.47

15

7:38

22:10

4:09

0.31

10:39

1.99

17:20

0.10

23:23

1.43

16

19:15

0.24

18

8:44

23:04

5:02

0.37

11:32

1.93

18:16

0.16

9:51

23:51

0:20

1.38

5:59

0.44

12:27

1.83

1:20

1.34

6:59

0.52

13:23

1.71

20:13

0.31

19

12:00

0:32

2:22

1.32

8:03

0.58

14:23

1.58

21:11

0.38

20

13:00

1:09

3:25

1.33

9:13

0.62

15:28

1.46

22:05

0.43

21

10:56

17

13:59

1:42

4:26

1.37

10:24

0.63

16:31

1.38

22:55

0.46

22

14:56

2:14

5:20

1.43

11:32

0.61

17:31

1.33

23:42

0.47

23

19:13

1.30

25

15:52

2:46

6:09

1.50

12:32

0.56

18:25

1.30

16:48

3:18

0:23

0.47

6:53

1.57

13:23

0.51

24

17:43

3:53

1:02

0.47

7:32

1.62

14:06

0.45

19:56

1.30

26

18:37

4:29

1:39

0.47

8:09

1.67

14:45

0.41

20:36

1.30

27

19:30

5:09

2:15

0.48

8:45

1.71

15:21

0.38

21:14

1.31

28

20:20

5:53

2:49

0.49

9:20

1.73

15:57

0.36

21:52

1.30

29

21:07

6:40

3:25

0.50

9:55

1.73

16:32

0.36

22:30

1.29

30

Tidal information provided courtesy of the Sydney Ports Corporation. © Commonwealth of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology, National Tidal Centre.


N OV

Tidal predictions for Sydney only. Times are adjusted for daylight saving.

Key





Bright Star


M MARS J JUPITER

This star map shows the ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS, Non-Zodiac Constellations and stars of the night sky as seen from Sydney at: 10.30 pm on 7 December 9.30 pm on 21 December

D EC

For other dates subtract or add half an hour each week.


December 2012 The evening sky See star map opposite The summer constellation of Orion, the Hunter, is high in the southeast. The three stars in the middle of the constellation represent the belt of Orion. Above and a little further to the right or east of the rightmost star of the belt, we find a line of three faint objects that, from a city or suburban location, are best seen through binoculars. These make up the dagger or sword of Orion and the object in the middle is one of the most famous objects in the sky, the Great Nebula in Orion. Extending a line through the stars of the belt towards the right or east, we reach Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. Extending the line in the other direction, we find Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation of Taurus, the Bull. Aldebaran is at a late stage in its life cycle and its outer layers are cooler than those of the Sun so it has a noticeably orange colour. If we extend the line from Orion’s belt further to the left or west, we reach the Pleiades star cluster. To the unaided eye only six or seven stars are visible in the cluster, but through a telescope hundreds of them can be seen. At a distance of around 400 light years, they are believed to have formed only about 100 million years ago.

Meteor shower The Geminid shower, one of the year's best meteor showers, can be seen this month. To see the meteors look towards the north on the early morning of Friday 14 December. As the Moon is new it will not brighten the sky and interfere with viewing the meteors. D IA R Y F O R D ECEMBE R 2 0 1 2

7

Friday

Last quarter

2:31 am

13

Thursday

New Moon

7:42 pm

20

Thursday

First quarter

4:19 pm

21

Friday

Summer solstice

28

Friday

Full Moon

10:12 pm 9:21 pm


Planets in the evening twilight Mars and Jupiter are the only evening planets. Mars is in the western sky, in Sagittarius for most of the month, but

moving into Capricornus at the end. On 15 December the crescent Moon is below and to the right or north of the planet. Jupiter is in the north-east in Taurus. On 25 December the gibbous


Planets in the morning twilight Mercury makes a cameo appearance in Libra in the east near the

horizon, below and to the right or south of Venus, in the middle of the second week of the month. Venus is low in the eastern sky. It begins the month in Libra, then races through Scorpius and finally crosses into Ophiuchus near the end of the month. On 12 December a very thin crescent Moon is below and to the right or south of the planet. Jupiter is in the north-west in Taurus but disappears just after the

middle of the month. Saturn is in the east, moving from Virgo into Libra during the first week of the month. On 11 December the crescent Moon is below and to the right or south of the planet. 4:33 am on 12 December — Mercury, Venus, Saturn and the Moon


Planets Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Date

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

Rise

Set

1

4:41

18:10

4:11

17:32

7:47

22:13

19:51

5:58

4:01

17:08

2

4:39

18:09

4:11

17:34

7:47

22:13

19:46

5:53

3:57

17:04

3

4:37

18:09

4:10

17:36

7:47

22:12

19:42

5:49

3:54

17:01

4

4:36

18:10

4:10

17:38

7:46

22:11

19:37

5:45

3:50

16:58

5

4:35

18:11

4:10

17:40

7:46

22:10

19:33

5:40

3:47

16:54

6

4:34

18:12

4:10

17:42

7:46

22:09

19:28

5:36

3:43

16:51

7

4:33

18:14

4:10

17:44

7:45

22:08

19:24

5:31

3:39

16:47

8

4:33

18:16

4:10

17:46

7:45

22:07

19:19

5:27

3:36

16:44

9

4:33

18:18

4:10

17:48

7:45

22:07

19:15

5:22

3:32

16:40

10

4:32

18:20

4:10

17:50

7:45

22:06

19:10

5:18

3:28

16:37

11

4:32

18:23

4:10

17:52

7:44

22:05

19:05

5:13

3:25

16:34

12

4:33

18:25

4:10

17:55

7:44

22:04

19:01

5:09

3:21

16:30

13

4:33

18:28

4:10

17:57

7:44

22:03

18:56

5:04

3:18

16:27

14

4:33

18:31

4:10

17:59

7:44

22:02

18:52

5:00

3:14

16:23

15

4:34

18:34

4:10

18:01

7:43

22:01

18:47

4:56

3:10

16:20

16

4:35

18:37

4:11

18:03

7:43

22:00

18:43

4:51

3:07

16:16

17

4:35

18:40

4:11

18:05

7:43

21:59

18:38

4:47

3:03

16:13

18

4:36

18:43

4:11

18:07

7:43

21:58

18:34

4:42

2:59

16:09

19

4:37

18:47

4:11

18:09

7:43

21:56

18:29

4:38

2:56

16:06

20

4:39

18:50

4:12

18:11

7:42

21:55

18:25

4:34

2:52

16:02

21

4:40

18:53

4:12

18:13

7:42

21:54

18:20

4:29

2:48

15:59

22

4:41

18:57

4:13

18:15

7:42

21:53

18:16

4:25

2:45

15:55

23

4:43

19:00

4:13

18:18

7:42

21:52

18:11

4:20

2:41

15:52

24

4:44

19:03

4:14

18:20

7:42

21:51

18:07

4:16

2:37

15:48

25

4:46

19:07

4:15

18:22

7:42

21:50

18:02

4:12

2:34

15:45

26

4:48

19:10

4:15

18:24

7:42

21:48

17:58

4:07

2:30

15:41

27

4:50

19:13

4:16

18:26

7:42

21:47

17:54

4:03

2:26

15:38

28

4:52

19:16

4:17

18:28

7:41

21:46

17:49

3:59

2:23

15:34

29

4:54

19:20

4:18

18:30

7:41

21:45

17:45

3:54

2:19

15:31

30

4:56

19:23

4:18

18:32

7:41

21:43

17:40

3:50

2:15

15:27

31

4:58

19:26

4:19

18:33

7:41

21:42

17:36

3:46

2:12

15:23

D EC



D EC

1

Day Saturday

sun

TWILIGHT end

Nautical

Civil

Rise

Set

Civil

Nautical

4:34

5:09

5:37

19:51

20:20

20:55

2

Sunday

4:34

5:09

5:37

19:52

20:21

20:56

3

Monday

4:33

5:09

5:37

19:53

20:22

20:57

4

Tuesday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:54

20:23

20:58

5

Wednesday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:55

20:24

20:59

6

Thursday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:56

20:24

21:00

7

Friday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:56

20:25

21:01

8

Saturday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:57

20:26

21:02

9

Sunday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:58

20:27

21:02

10

Monday

4:33

5:08

5:37

19:59

20:28

21:03

11

Tuesday

4:33

5:09

5:38

19:59

20:28

21:04

12

Wednesday

4:33

5:09

5:38

20:00

20:29

21:05

13

Thursday

4:33

5:09

5:38

20:01

20:30

21:06

14

Friday

4:33

5:09

5:38

20:02

20:31

21:06

15

Saturday

4:34

5:09

5:39

20:02

20:31

21:07

16

Sunday

4:34

5:10

5:39

20:03

20:32

21:08

17

Monday

4:34

5:10

5:39

20:03

20:33

21:08

18

Tuesday

4:35

5:10

5:40

20:04

20:33

21:09

19

Wednesday

4:35

5:11

5:40

20:05

20:34

21:10

20

Thursday

4:35

5:11

5:40

20:05

20:34

21:10

21

Friday

4:36

5:12

5:41

20:06

20:35

21:11

22

Saturday

4:36

5:12

5:41

20:06

20:35

21:11

23

Sunday

4:37

5:13

5:42

20:07

20:36

21:12

24

Monday

4:37

5:13

5:42

20:07

20:36

21:12

25

Tuesday

4:38

5:14

5:43

20:07

20:37

21:12

26

Wednesday

4:39

5:15

5:44

20:08

20:37

21:13

27

Thursday

4:39

5:15

5:44

20:08

20:37

21:13

28

Friday

4:40

5:16

5:45

20:08

20:38

21:13

29

Saturday

4:41

5:16

5:46

20:09

20:38

21:14

30

Sunday

4:42

5:17

5:46

20:09

20:38

21:14

31

Monday

4:42

5:18

5:47

20:09

20:38

21:14


Moon and tides MOON


Rise

Set

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

H (m)

Time

21:51

7:31

4:01

0.52

10:31

1.72

17:09

0.37

23:08

1.28

23:49

1.26

22:32

8:24

4:41

0.54

11:09

1.69

17:47

0.39

23:09

9:19

5:22

0.57

11:47

1.64

18:29

0.41

23:44

1 2 3

10:15

0:33

1.25

6:07

0.61

12:30

1.58

19:12

0.43

4

11:12

1:22

1.25

6:59

0.64

13:15

1.52

19:59

0.45

5

0:18

12:10

2:15

1.28

7:57

0.67

14:08

1.46

20:49

0.45

6

0:51

13:10

3:14

1.33

9:03

0.66

15:09

1.41

21:42

0.44

7

1:24

14:12

4:12

1.42

10:15

0.62

16:16

1.38

22:36

0.41

8

2:00

15:17

5:08

1.53

11:27

0.53

17:23

1.38

23:30

0.38

9

2:40

16:25

6:02

1.66

12:32

0.41

18:27

1.40

10

3:25

17:34

0:22

0.35

6:56

1.79

13:32

0.29

19:27

1.43

11

4:16

18:43

1:15

0.32

7:48

1.91

14:29

0.18

20:24

1.45

12

5:15

19:49

2:07

0.30

8:41

2.00

15:22

0.11

21:20

1.46

13

6:20

20:48

3:00

0.30

9:33

2.04

16:15

0.08

22:15

1.46

14

23:08

1.45

7:28

21:41

3:54

0.32

10:26

2.03

17:07

0.09

8:37

22:26

4:48

0.36

11:17

1.96

17:58

0.14

15 16

9:44

23:06

0:01

1.43

5:44

0.41

12:08

1.85

18:48

0.22

17

10:48

23:42

0:56

1.41

6:40

0.49

12:59

1.70

19:38

0.32

18

1:50

1.39

7:38

0.57

13:50

1.54

20:27

0.40

19

12:49

0:16

2:45

1.39

8:41

0.63

14:45

1.39

21:15

0.47

20

13:46

0:48

3:42

1.40

9:49

0.67

15:45

1.28

22:03

0.52

21

11:50

14:42

1:20

4:37

1.44

11:00

0.67

16:48

1.21

22:52

0.55

22

15:37

1:54

5:30

1.48

12:06

0.63

17:50

1.19

23:41

0.56

23

19:34

1.23

25

16:31

2:30

6:19

1.54

13:02

0.57

18:46

1.20

17:25

3:08

0:27

0.55

7:04

1.60

13:47

0.51

24

18:16

3:51

1:09

0.53

7:45

1.65

14:28

0.44

20:16

1.26

26

19:04

4:37

1:49

0.52

8:23

1.70

15:04

0.39

20:56

1.28

27

19:50

5:26

2:28

0.50

9:00

1.73

15:39

0.36

21:32

1.30

28

20:32

6:19

3:06

0.49

9:36

1.75

16:14

0.34

22:09

1.32

29

21:11

7:14

3:44

0.48

10:13

1.75

16:48

0.33

22:46

1.33

30

21:46

8:10

4:23

0.49

10:49

1.74

17:23

0.33

23:25

1.33

31


D EC


FURTHER INFORMATION Books • Nick Lomb, Transit of Venus: 1631 to the present, NewSouth & Powerhouse Publishing, Sydney, 2011. An illustrated guide to this significant astronomical event and the early expeditions that were mounted to observe it. • Bryan Gaensler, Extreme cosmos, NewSouth, Sydney, 2011. The Universe described through the fastest, hottest, brightest, oldest and most massive objects that it contains. • Dava Sobel, A more perfect heaven: how Copernicus revolutionized the cosmos, Walker, New York, 2011. A retelling of how Nicolaus Copernicus published the book that revolutionised our understanding of the Universe. • Richard Handy, Deirdre Kelleghan, Thomas McCague, Erika Rix & Sally Russell, Sketching the Moon: an astronomical artist's guide, Springer, London, 2011. Experts describe how to sketch the Moon while viewing it through a telescope or binoculars.

Magazines • Australian Sky & Telescope, Odysseus Publishing, www. austskyandtel.com.au. Local and international articles on astronomy written for all skywatchers.

Websites • www.astronomy.org.au — a guide to Australian astronomy that includes fact sheets from the Astronomical Society of Australia • www.iceinspace.com.au — a community website and discussion forum for amateur astronomers in the southern hemisphere. • www.rasnz.org.nz — a guide to astronomy in New Zealand maintained by the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand. • www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/observations-blog — a continually updated blog with fascinating information about the day and the night sky.

Apps • Google sky map. Allows Android smart phones to find and identify stars and planets in the sky. • Moon globe. Maps and views of the Moon for iPhone and iPad.


AMATEUR ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETIES Sydney City Skywatchers

www.sydneycityskywatchers.asn.au Astronomical Society of NSW

www.asnsw.com Northern Sydney Astronomical Society

www.nsas.org.au Sutherland Astronomical Society

www.sasi.net.au Western Sydney Amateur Astronomy Group

www.wsaag.org Sydney Outdoor Lighting Improvement Society

www.solis.org.au Astronomical Society of Victoria

www.asv.org.au Astronomical Society of South Australia

www.assa.org.au Brisbane Astronomical Society

www.bas.asn.au Astronomical Society of Western Australia

www.aswa.info Auckland Astronomical Society

www.astronomy.org.nz Canterbury Astronomical Society

www.cas.org.nz Wellington Astronomical society

www.was.org.nz Whakatane Astronomical Society

www.skyofplenty.com


OBSERVATORIES and planetariums Sydney Observatory, the oldest observatory in Australia, offers a

range of experiences including exhibitions on astronomy and meteorology, a 3-D space theatre and day and night telescope viewings. See the website or call for information on opening times and prices. Watson Road, Observatory Hill, The Rocks www.sydneyobservatory.com.au Inquiries and bookings: tel: (02) 9921 3485, fax: (02) 9921 3489 email: [email protected] Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium

www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/planetarium The Melbourne Planetarium, Scienceworks Museum

museumvictoria.com.au/planetarium The Adelaide Planetarium

www.unisa.edu.au/planetarium/ Horizon: the Planetarium, Perth

www.scitech.org.au Carter Observatory, Wellington

www.carterobservatory.org Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, Auckland

www.stardome.org.nz

About the author

Dr Nick Lomb has spent over 30 years at Sydney Observatory, curating numerous exhibitions and becoming a well known commentator on astronomical events in the southern sky. He writes a short daily column for The Australian newspaper, is a regular contributor to the Observatory’s blog and has been the author of the annual Sky guide since it was first published. He has authored and co-authored a number of other publications including most recently, Transit of Venus: 1631 to the present. Visit www.powerhousemuseum.com/publications for details.


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MONTHLY STAR-GAZING PODCASTS AND MAPS AT www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/monthlyskyguides These monthly podcasts offer a 10 to 30 minute audio guide describing the highlights of the southern sky, a transcript of the audio and easy-to-print sky maps. Presented by Sydney Observatory’s astronomy experts, including Dr Nick Lomb, the podcasts can be downloaded onto an iPod or similar device and listened to outside while observing the night sky. You can also subscribe to the podcasts through iTunes. The podcasts have been designed to complement the Australasian sky guide, which provides comprehensive tables of Sun, Moon and planet rise and set times, details of all the viewing highlights for the year plus much more. Each podcast provides a perspective on the night sky inspired by the particular astronomical interests of the presenter for that month. Depending on the month and the presenter, you may hear about distant galaxies, black holes, mythologies that have been inspired by the night sky, astronomical discoveries or inventions. About the cover image Light echo, imaged in visible light, distance about 20 000 light years from Earth. In early 2002, the unusual star V838 Monocerotis briefly increased in brightness to become 600 000 times brighter than the Sun. Light spreading out like a shockwave from this sudden eruption now illuminates the dust in the surrounding region producing the most spectacular ‘light echo’ in the history of astronomy. Photo © NASA, ESA and H Bond (STSCI). Back cover: Sydney Observatory. Photo by Jean-Francois Lanzarone.

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