Saturday SkyWatch
Saturday 8th November 2025
🌌 Saturday SkyWatch! 🌌
🌅 Sunset & Observatory Hours
- Sunset: 7:55 PM
- Nautical Sunset: 8:57 PM
- Astronomical Sunset: 9:34 PM
This Saturday we will be open from sunset till 11pm.
☁️ Weather & Viewing Conditions
B.O.M. Forecast for The Rock: http://www.bom.gov.au/places/nsw/the-rock/
To learn how to read the Clear Outside forecast page, follow this link: https://clearoutside.com/page/how_to_use/
🌙 Moon Phase
Tonight’s Moon is a Waning Crescent (23%) and will set at 3:20 PM, not rising until the early hours of the morning. This makes it a great night for viewing nebula, galaxies, and fainter star clusters.
ℹ️ Other Information
Still bring a jacket if you get cold easily as the weather has been tricky lately and as always feel free to bring a picnic blanket, some snacks and non-alcoholic refreshments.
There was the Northern Taurids meteor shower peak on the 12th November, and there will be the Leonids on the 17th and the alpha Monocerotids on the 21st. So for the month of November keep an eye out for meteors!
🔭 In the Sky Tonight
Note that just because these objects are in the sky at the moment, you may not always see them. Visibility is dependent on weather, moon brightness, atmospheric conditions, and equipment parameters. Check the weather and viewing conditions above, and if in doubt ask a friendly volunteer if you’re able to see an object in the night sky!
Prominent Constellations
Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Eridanus, Triangulum, Andromeda, Pegasus, Aquila, Pava, Tucana, Sculptor, Cetus
Note: Crux is under 15° altitude during the spring / summer months
Bright Stars
Canopus, Archernar, Hadar, Altair, Fomalhaut, Miaplacidus, Alnair, Peacock, Diphda, Alpheratz, Hamal
Open Clusters
Cr 399 (Coathanger), M 25, NGC 6530 (Herschel 36), M 24 (Sagittarius Star Cloud), M 23, NGC 6416, M11 (Wild Duck Cluster), M21 (Webb’s Cross), M 18 (Black Swan Cluster), NGC 6520 (Dead Man’s Chest Cluster), NGC 6664 (Santa’s Sleigh Cluster), NGC 6451 (Tom Thumb Cluster).
Globular Clusters
NGC 104 (47 Tucanae),M 22 (Great Sagittarius Cluster), M 12 (Gumball Globular), NGC 6752 (Pavo Globular), M 55 (Summer Rose Star), M 15 (Pegasus Cluster), NGC 362 (75 Tuc), M 30 (Jellyfish Cluster), NGC 4833 (The Southern Butterfly), M 71 (Angelfish Cluster), NGC 6544 (Starfish Cluster)
Galaxies
PGC 17223 (Large Magellanic Cloud), NGC 292 (Small Magellanic Cloud), M33 (Triangulum Galaxy), NGC 55 (String of Pearls Galaxy), NGC 6822 (Barnard’s Galaxy), NGC 253 Sculptor Galaxy) NGC 6822 (Barnard’s Galaxy), NGC 300 (Sculptor Pinwheel Galaxy), NGC 6744 (face-on-spiral), NGC 1269 (Snow Collar Galaxy), NGC 7793 (Bond’s Galaxy), NGC 7331 (Deer Lick Group), NGC 1232 (Eye of God Galaxy), NGC 1313 (Topsy-Turvey Galaxy)
Active and Interacting Galaxies
NGC 253 (Sculptor Galaxy), NGC 247 (Needle’s Eye Galaxy), NGC 1365 (Great Barred Spiral Galaxy), NGC 1566 (Doradus Cluster), NGC 1316 (Fornax A)
Bright Nebula
M 8 (Lagoon Nebula), M 16 (Eagle Nebula), M 17 (Omega Nebula), NGC 6960 (West Veil Nebula), NGC 6992 (East Veil Nebula), NGC 6823 (Cloud Sculpting Star Cluster), IC 4628 (Prawn Nebula), NGC 2070 (Tarantula Nebula), M 20 (Trifid Nebula),
Dark Nebula
B 138 (Black Lizard Nebula), B 68 (Ink Spot Nebula), B 72 (Snake Nebula)
Planetary Nebula
NGC 7293 (Helix Nebula), NGC 7009 (Saturn Nebula), NGC 6818 (Little Gem Nebula), NGC 1360 (Robin’s Egg Nebula), NGC 1535 (Cleopatra’s Eye Nebula), NGC 6302 (Bug Nebula)
Planets
Saturn
🪐 Upcoming Astronomical Events for this week
📅 17th November: Leonids Meteor Shower Peak
📅 20th November: Inferior Solar Conjunction of Mercury (just after sunset – so should be close to the Sun at sunset)
📅 21st November: Alpha Monocerotids Meteor Shower Peak
📅 17th November: Leonids Meteor Shower Peak
📅 21st November: Moon and Mars are in Conjunction (right around Nautical Sunset, you’ll have to be quick to see this one!)
Note: All other astronomical events occurring this week are not visible from the Southern Hemisphere, or only visible through the daytime.
As always, don’t forget to look up wherever you are!
– The TRRO Team