Southern Hemisphere night sky tonight: highlights, October 2023<\/strong><\/h2>Locate Betelgeuse (the bright red star, bottom right of the Orion constellation), to help you find the Orionid meteor shower radiant. Credit: Chasing Light – Photography by James Stone james-stone.com \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>The Orionid meteor shower<\/a> is visible around 2 October to 7 November, with its peak expected late evening on 22 October into the morning.<\/p>At this time the Moon is at first quarter, leaving the morning hours basking under dark skies.<\/p>
The radiant is within a few degrees of the bright star Betelgeuse<\/a>.<\/p>This area will be conveniently high in the sky (crossing the meridian) around the start of dawn.<\/p>
The Orionids are typically swift and often bright, with some leaving trains.<\/p>
Stars and constellations<\/strong><\/h2>![\"SMC](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2019\/02\/37872786976_c9d7eac8c1_k-b8079f9-e1687256744700-1024x1024.jpg?fit=800,800\")
The Small Magellanic Cloud and 47 Tucanae by Michael Sidonio, Canberra, Australia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>Evening skies now see the Milky Way dropping towards the western horizon, making way for, well\u2026 nothing?<\/p>
That\u2019s how it appears from the suburbs.<\/p>
The far south has not only left the bright star patterns behind, but also Greek mythology has given way to more modern constellations.<\/p>
Many need dark skies to see any patterns, Grus the Crane being one bright exception.<\/p>
Other birds to spot are the Peacock (Pavo), the Toucan (Tucana) and, albeit mythical, the Phoenix.<\/p>
Planets<\/strong><\/h2>![\"Saturn](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2019\/02\/SATURNO-99cb633.jpg\")
Saturn by Fernando Oliveira De Menezes, Sao Paulo, Brazil.<\/figcaption><\/figure>Saturn continues to be an evening highlight for Southern Hemipshere observers, being due north around 22:00 mid-month.<\/p>
Read our guide to observing Saturn with a telescope<\/a> for top tips.<\/p>Although in a barren part of the sky, Saturn sits about 20\u00b0 south of the bright star Fomalhaut.<\/p>
It\u2019s followed two hours later by Neptune. Jupiter is rising around sunset, with Uranus 30 minutes behind. <\/p>
Both are visible most of the night. Dawn commences with brilliant Venus low in the east.<\/p>
On 11 October, Venus and Regulus<\/a> are 2\u00b0 apart, with the crescent Moon<\/a> 5\u00b0 below \u2013 an impressive conjunction<\/a>!<\/p>Deep-sky objects<\/strong><\/h2>![\"Grus](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/10\/GettyImages-1273358272-1024x683.jpg?fit=800,534\")
Grus the Crane constellation. Credit: Allexxandar \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>This month, Southern Hemipshere observers are encouraged to take a trip to Grus the Crane.<\/p>
Within its prominent curve of stars is an impressive naked-eye double-double.<\/p>
Delta (\u03b4) Gruis (RA 22h 29.2m, dec. \u201343\u00b0 30\u2019) comprises mag. 4.0 and 4.1 Delta1 <\/sup>(\u03b41<\/sup>) and Delta2 <\/sup>(\u03b42<\/sup>), 16 arcminutes apart.<\/p>Moving 3\u00b0 northwest finds Mu (\u03bc) Gruis, comprised of mag. 4.8 Mu1<\/sup> (\u03bc1<\/sup>) and 5.1 Mu2 <\/sup>(\u03bc2<\/sup>), 19 arcminutes apart.<\/p>In binoculars both Mu stars and Delta1<\/sup> are yellow, in contrast to the orange of Delta2<\/sup>.<\/p>![\"NGC](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/10\/NGC7582-hst-606-1024x768.png?fit=800,600\")
NGC 7582, as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. Credit: Fabian RRRR \/ wiki \/ Hubble<\/figcaption><\/figure>NGC 7582 (RA 23h 18.4m, dec. \u201342\u00b0 22\u2019) is the central member of the Grus Quartet, an 11th-magnitude triangle of galaxies with NGC 7590 and 7599 (to the northeast), fitting in a 15-arcminute field of view. <\/p>
The three are all partly edge-on spirals, showing prominent ellipse-shaped halos with brightening towards the centre.<\/p>
Lying 30 arcminutes southwest of 7582 is the fourth member, NGC 7552, which has a prominent stellar nucleus.<\/p>
Southern Hemisphere Star Charts<\/strong><\/h2>Access this month’s and all previous star charts for the Southern Hemisphere by clicking on the links below.<\/p>
Southern Hemisphere Star Chart November 2023 (PDF)<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>
The Orionid meteor shower<\/a> is visible around 2 October to 7 November, with its peak expected late evening on 22 October into the morning.<\/p> At this time the Moon is at first quarter, leaving the morning hours basking under dark skies.<\/p> The radiant is within a few degrees of the bright star Betelgeuse<\/a>.<\/p> This area will be conveniently high in the sky (crossing the meridian) around the start of dawn.<\/p> The Orionids are typically swift and often bright, with some leaving trains.<\/p> Evening skies now see the Milky Way dropping towards the western horizon, making way for, well\u2026 nothing?<\/p> That\u2019s how it appears from the suburbs.<\/p> The far south has not only left the bright star patterns behind, but also Greek mythology has given way to more modern constellations.<\/p> Many need dark skies to see any patterns, Grus the Crane being one bright exception.<\/p> Other birds to spot are the Peacock (Pavo), the Toucan (Tucana) and, albeit mythical, the Phoenix.<\/p> Saturn continues to be an evening highlight for Southern Hemipshere observers, being due north around 22:00 mid-month.<\/p> Read our guide to observing Saturn with a telescope<\/a> for top tips.<\/p> Although in a barren part of the sky, Saturn sits about 20\u00b0 south of the bright star Fomalhaut.<\/p> It\u2019s followed two hours later by Neptune. Jupiter is rising around sunset, with Uranus 30 minutes behind. <\/p> Both are visible most of the night. Dawn commences with brilliant Venus low in the east.<\/p> On 11 October, Venus and Regulus<\/a> are 2\u00b0 apart, with the crescent Moon<\/a> 5\u00b0 below \u2013 an impressive conjunction<\/a>!<\/p> This month, Southern Hemipshere observers are encouraged to take a trip to Grus the Crane.<\/p> Within its prominent curve of stars is an impressive naked-eye double-double.<\/p> Delta (\u03b4) Gruis (RA 22h 29.2m, dec. \u201343\u00b0 30\u2019) comprises mag. 4.0 and 4.1 Delta1 <\/sup>(\u03b41<\/sup>) and Delta2 <\/sup>(\u03b42<\/sup>), 16 arcminutes apart.<\/p> Moving 3\u00b0 northwest finds Mu (\u03bc) Gruis, comprised of mag. 4.8 Mu1<\/sup> (\u03bc1<\/sup>) and 5.1 Mu2 <\/sup>(\u03bc2<\/sup>), 19 arcminutes apart.<\/p> In binoculars both Mu stars and Delta1<\/sup> are yellow, in contrast to the orange of Delta2<\/sup>.<\/p> NGC 7582 (RA 23h 18.4m, dec. \u201342\u00b0 22\u2019) is the central member of the Grus Quartet, an 11th-magnitude triangle of galaxies with NGC 7590 and 7599 (to the northeast), fitting in a 15-arcminute field of view. <\/p> The three are all partly edge-on spirals, showing prominent ellipse-shaped halos with brightening towards the centre.<\/p> Lying 30 arcminutes southwest of 7582 is the fourth member, NGC 7552, which has a prominent stellar nucleus.<\/p> Access this month’s and all previous star charts for the Southern Hemisphere by clicking on the links below.<\/p> Southern Hemisphere Star Chart November 2023 (PDF)<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>Stars and constellations<\/strong><\/h2>
Planets<\/strong><\/h2>
Deep-sky objects<\/strong><\/h2>
Southern Hemisphere Star Charts<\/strong><\/h2>