Saturday 25^th October 2025

🌌 Saturday SkyWatch! 🌌

🌅 Sunset & Observatory Hours

• Sunset: 7:35 PM
• Nautical Sunset: 8:33 PM
• Astronomical Sunset: 9:06 PM
  This Saturday we will be open from sunset till 10:45pm.

☁️ 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 Waxing Crescent (14%) and will set at 11:17 PM. This means the Moon will be in the West during viewing hours. However since it is a small crescent it will still be good viewing for nebulae and galaxies.

🌟 Feature Object: Scorpius (Constellation)

Scorpius is setting in the West during the end of October  / beginning of November and is one of the constellations used to track the seasons due to its ease of identification via its bright red star Antares. When Scorpius is setting during the night it means that spring is here and summer is coming. When Scorpius rises in the night it means that autumn is here and winter is coming.

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.

🔭 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

Centaurus, Eridanus, Aquila, Scorpio, Piscis Austrinus, Grus, Pavo, Cetus, Ophiuchus, Horologium, Tucana, Serpens, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Sculptor, Pegasus, Pisces

Note: Crux is under 15° altitude during the spring / summer months

Bright Stars

Rigil Kentaurus, Archernar, Hadar, Altair, Antares, Fomalhaut, Toliman, Alnair, Kaus Australis, Peacock, Diphda, Rasalhague

Open Clusters

NGC 6231 (Baby Scorpion / Northern Jewel Box), M 7 (Ptolemy’s Cluster), M 6 (Butterfly Cluster), IC 4665 (Summer Beehive Cluster), NGC 6530 (Herschel 36), NGC 6633 (Tweedledum Cluster),  M 24 (Sagittarius Star Cloud),  M 25, NGC 3766 (Pearl Cluster), NGC 6281 (Moth Wing Cluster), M11 (Wild Duck Cluster), NGC 5281 (Little Scorpion Cluster), M 21 (Webb’s Cross), NGC 4609 (Coalsack Cluster), M18 (Black Swan Cluster), NGC 6520 (Dead Man’s Chest Cluster), M 26

Globular Clusters

NGC 104 (47 Tucanae), NGC 6397 (Ara Globular), M 22 (Great Sagittarius Cluster), M 4 (Crab Globular),  M 12 (Gumball Globular), NGC 6752 (Pavo Globular), M 55 (Summer Rose Star), M 15 (Pegasus Cluster), M 62 (Flickering Globular), NGC 362 (75 Tuc), M 30 (Jellyfish Cluster), NGC 6541 (Cacciatore Cluster), NGC 4833 (The Southern Butterfly), M 107 (The Crucifix Cluster), NGC 6723 (Chandelier Cluster), NGC 6441 (Silver Nugget Cluster), M 71 (Angelfish Cluster), NGC 6544 (Starfish Cluster)

Galaxies

PGC 17223 (Large Magellanic Cloud), NGC 292 (Small Magellanic Cloud),  NGC 55 (String of Pearls 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 1316 (Fornax A), NGC 7793 (Bond’s Galaxy), NGC 247 (Needle’s Eye Galaxy), NGC 7331 (Deer Lick Group), NGC 1097 (Face on Barred Spiral in Fornax), NGC 1365 (Great Barred Spiral Galaxy), NGC 1566 (Doradus Cluster), NGC 1313 (Topsy-Turvey Galaxy)

Bright Nebula

IC 4592 (Blue Horsehead Nebula), IC 4604 (rho Ophiuchus 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), B 92 (Black Hole Nebula), LDN 43 (Cosmic Bat Nebula)

Planetary Nebula

M 27 (Dumbell Nebula), NGC 7293 (Helix Nebula), NGC 7009 (Saturn Nebula), NGC 6818 (Little Gem Nebula), NGC 6302 (Bug Nebula)

Planets

Saturn

🪐 Upcoming Astronomical Events for this week

📅 25th October Moon and Antares are at Occultation.

Note: All other astronomical events occurring this week are not visible from the Southern Hemisphere.

As always, don’t forget to look up wherever you are!
– The TRRO Team