Saturday SkyWatch
Saturday 28thJune 2025
🌌 Saturday SkyWatch! 🌌
🌅 Sunset & Observatory Hours
- Sunset: 5:09 PM
- Nautical Sunset: 6:09 PM
- Astronomical Sunset: 6:40 PM
This Saturday we will be open from sunset till 9:30pm.
☁️ 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 (10%) and will set at 8:05PM. This means the Moon will be setting in the West during viewing hours but as it is hardly illuminated this means it will still be a good night for viewing Nebula and Galaxies alongside Star Clusters.
🌟 Feature Object: Pearl Cluster (C 97)
This object is an open cluster in Centaurus that contains eleven Be stars (main-sequence), two red supergiants, and four Ap (chemically peculiar) stars. It is located approximately 1745 parsecs away and is one of the more beautiful clusters to observe through a telescope.
ℹ️ Other Information
The Bootids Meteor shower peaked on the 27th June, so keep an eye out for meteors!
Bring warm clothes, a beanie, and some gloves if you don’t like the cold. The view will be well worth venturing out!
Feel free to bring a picnic blanket and some snacks and non-alcoholic refreshments.
🔭 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
Scorpius, Sagittarius, Centaurus, Crux, Carina, Vela, Ara, Lupus, Libra, Corona Australis, Ophiuchus, Serpens, Hercules, Pavo, Indus, Tucana, Grus, Capricornus, Aquarius, Piscus Austrinus, Microscopium, Telescopium, Norma, Triangulum Australe, Apus, Musca, Volans, Chameleon, Octans, Hydrus
Bright Stars
Antares, Alpha Centauri, Canopus, Beta Centauri (Hadar), Altair, Spica, Gacrux, Shaula, Miaplacidus, Alnair, Peacock, Kaus Australis, Nunki, Acrux
Star Clusters
Omega Centauri (NGC 5139), NGC 6752 Globular Cluster in Pavo, Jewel-Box Cluster (NGC 4755), M80 (NGC 6093) Globular Cluster in Scorpius, Ptolemy Cluster (M7), M22 (NGC 6656) Globular Cluster in Sagittarius, NGC 6397 Globular Cluster in Ara, 47 Tucanae , NGC 104), M4 (NGC 6121) Globular Cluster near Antares, Butterfly Cluster (M6), NGC 6231 Open Cluster in Scorpius, M25 Open Cluster in Sagittarius, M55 Globular Cluster in Sagittarius, NGC 6067 Open Cluster in Norma, NGC 6362 Globular Cluster in Ara, NGC , 188 Region Cluster in Ara, Southern Pleiades (IC 2602), Wishing-Well Cluster NGC 3532, NGC 2516 Open Cluster in Carina, Pearl Cluster (C 97)
Galaxies
Centaurus A (NGC 5128), Southern Pinwheel (M 83), NGC 4945 Edge-On Spiral in Centaurus, NGC 5102 Lenticular in Centaurus, Large Magellanic Cloud, Small Magellanic Cloud, Sculptor Galaxy (NGC 253), NGC 55 Edge-On Galaxy in Sculptor, NGC 300 Spiral in , culptor, NGC 247 Spiral Galaxy in Cetus, NGC 7793 Spiral in Sculptor, NGC 6744 Spiral in Pavo, NGC 1313 Irregular in Reticulum, Fornax A (NGC 1316), Great Barred Spiral Galaxy (NGC 1365), NGC 1097 (C 67) Barred Spiral in Fornax, NGC 1380 Elliptical in Fornax, NGC 2997 Spiral in Antlia, NGC 7314 Spiral in Piscis Austrinus, Koi Fish Galaxy (NGC 4559) (C 36)
Nebula
Eta Carina Nebula (NGC 3372), Statue of Liberty Nebula (NGC 3576), Coalsack Nebula, Lagoon Nebula (M 8), Trifid Nebula (M 20), Omega Nebula (M 17), Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334), Lobster Nebula (NGC 6357), Firebird Nebula (NGC 6188), Bug Nebula (NGC , 302), Eagle Nebula (M 16), Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070), Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009), Blue Planetary (NGC 3918), Snake Nebula (Barnard 72), Banana Nebula (NGC 3199), Ghost of Jupiter (NGC 3242), Southern Ring Nebula (NGC 3132)
Planets
None Visible During Observatory Hours
🪐 Upcoming Astronomical Events for this week
📅 27th June: Bootids Meteor Shower Peaks. (Won’t be very visible from the Southern Hemisphere, but keep an eye out for meteors).
📅 29th June: Moon and Regulus are in Conjunction
📅 4th July: Greatest Elongation of Mercury
As always, don’t forget to look up wherever you are!
– The TRRO Team