TheSky (c) Astronomy Software 1984-1998

Sydney Observatory night sky map

URSA MINOR

CAMELOPARDALIS

May 2012

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

www.sydneyobservatory.com.au

This star chart shows the stars and constellations visible in the night sky for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth for May 2012 at about 7:30 pm (local standard time). For Darwin and similar locations the chart will still apply, but some stars will be lost off the southern edge while extra stars will be visible to the north. Stars down to a brightness or magnitude limit of 4.5 are shown. To use this star chart, rotate it so that the direction you are facing (north, south, east or west) is shown at the bottom. The centre of the chart represents the point directly above your head, called the zenith, and the outer circular edge represents the horizon.

Star brightness
Zero or brighter 1st magnitude 2nd 3rd 4th

Moon phase
Full Moon: 06th Last quarter: 13th New Moon: 21st First quarter: 29th AURIGA

CANES VENATICI

LEO MINOR CORONA BOREALIS BOOTES

Castor Pollux
COMA BERENICES Arcturus LEO Mars CANCER Regulus GEMINI Pollux

PFirst Quarter Moon

on 29th SEXTANS SEXTANS
SERPENS VIRGO

CANIS MINOR
CANIS MINOR Procyon Betelgeuse

HYDRA

Saturn

CRATER Spica CORVUS HYDRA MONOCEROS ORION

LIBRA

Zubenelgenubi HYDRA

OPHIUCHUS SOUTHERN CROSS

CENTAURUS

ANTLIA FALSE CROSS

PYXIS

Sirius CANIS MAJOR Rigel Adhara LEPUS

VELA

PUPPIS

Mimosa Antares M4 Antares JewelCRUX Box CARINA LUPUS Mimosa Hadar POINTERS Alpha Centauri MUSCA VOLANS Coalsack CIRCINUS NORMA Proxima Centauri SCORPIUS CHAMAELEON
TRIANGULUM AUSTRALE APUS ARA MENSA COLUMBA

Canopus

Canopus ERIDANUS PICTOR CAELUM

M6

Centre of the Galaxy

M7

LMC

DORADO

South Celestial Pole

OCTANS

RETICULUM

ERIDANUS

Chart key

HYDRUS CORONA AUSTRALIS

HOROLOGIUM FORNAX

Bright star TELESCOPIUM Faint star SAGITTARIUS Ecliptic Milkway First quarter Moon P Planet LMC or Large Magellanic Cloud SMC or Small Magellanic Cloud

PAVO

SMC

SW
Achernar

TUCANA

INDUS

South

PHOENIX

The Southern Cross is high in the sky towards the south and is easily located using the two nearby Pointer stars. What we call the Pointer star Alpha Centauri is actually a multiple star and these are the nearest stars to the Sun and Earth. Nearby is the False Cross often mistaken for the Southern Cross. Saturn isGRUS located towards the north-east, appearing as a star-like object in MICROSCOPIUM SCULPTOR the constellation of Virgo. Mars can be seen to the north in the constellation of Leo and is next to the first quarter Moon on the 29th. Venus can be seen low in the north-west shortly after sunset and is next to a crescent Moon on the 23rd. The best time to view the Moon with a small telescope or binoculars is a few days either side of the first quarter Moon on the 29th. The rare transit of Venus when Venus passes across the Sun will take place on 6 June 2012 and then not again until 2117. The book, Transit of Venus: 1631 to the present by Dr Nick Lomb, PISCIS AUSTRINUS has a wealth of fascinating historic and scientific information to prepare you for the event. Buy online http://from.ph/3ov or from Sydney Observatory or good bookshops. It is dangerous to look at the Sun without a solar filter. Sydney Observatory is equipped for safe viewing of the transit of Venus. Bookings are essential http://from.ph/3un or phone 61 2 9921 3485. Sydney Observatory is at Watson Road, Observatory Hill, in the historic Rocks area of Sydney. Phone 61 2 9921 3485 www.sydneyobservatory.com.au.
Sydney Observatory is part of the Powerhouse Museum. The Sydney Observatory night sky map is prepared by Dr M Anderson using the software TheSky. 2012 Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney.

CAPRICORNUS

West

Sirius

NW

North
URSA MAJOR LYNX

NE

East

SE