Author | Lightnews

Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 9h

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS reaches perihelion on 29 Oct'25. The comet is currently too close to the Sun as seen from Earth and is thus not observable. However, it will emerge from the Sun's glare in coming days and continue long its predicted path across the Solar System; just like a #comet. 🔭

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 3d

The skies have cleared just in time. Solar Outreach underway!🔭🌞

A group of adults and children looking through telescopes equipped with safe solar filters.

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 4d

🌒 🌟 In a few hours, Antares the brightest star in Scorpius will be occulted by the Waxing Crescent Moon. The event commences around 0h UT on 25 October and is visible from southernmost South America. A close conjunction will be visible worldwide. 🔭
in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=...

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 5d

🌙 The Moon will reach apogee (farthest from Earth) at 0h UT (now) on 24 October. At this time the Moon's distance from Earth will be 406,444 km or 252,553 miles and span an angular size of 29.4 arc-minutes.🔭
#stargazing

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 5d

The crescent Moon, Mercury and Mars appear within a 4.3° diameter circle in the evening sky at 11h UT (now) on 23 October. Mercury is the brighter of the two planets at mag.–0.2, with the red planet shining at mag. 1.5. A pair of binoculars can aid finding the planets. 🔭
#stargazing

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 9d

A 25x30s image captured 24 hours ago with an Askar SQA55 imaging rig (skymaps.com/ir0/). It shows comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) near the Eagle Nebula (M16). The green glow of the comet's coma contrasts beautifully with the pink colour of the nebula. 🔭 🧪
#astrophotography

A telescopic photograph showing a star-filled region of the Milky Way galaxy. Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) appears like a ball of glowing green gas. Nearby is the famous Eagle Nebula (aka Messier 16) glowing the pale pink colour of an emission nebula. The image was taken using a small telescope (skymaps.com/ir0/) on 18 October 2025 from a dark sky site in South Australia. Image credit: Kym Thalassoudis

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 14d

🌖 The Waning Crescent Moon will soon pass near the Beehive star cluster (M44), with closest approach at 2h UT on 15 October. At around the same time yesterday, the Moon appeared near Jupiter. In the coming days the Moon will pass near Regulus and then Venus. 🔭
#stargazing

A telescopic image of the Waning Crescent Moon. Several impact craters and large, dark, basaltic plains (mare) are visible on the Moon's surface.

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 15d

47 Tucanae (NGC 104) is one of the most spectacular globular star clusters in the night sky. Best seen from the southern hemisphere, the bright cluster lies 15,000 light years away and is easy to see using binoculars or a telescope. 🔭
Mono image (20x30s) with this imaging rig: skymaps.com/ir2/

A telescopic image captured with a monochrome camera and composed of a stack of 20x30 second exposures. The image shows a spherical cluster of thousands of white stars on a black background. The distribution of stars is sparse away from the centre and very concentrated at the centre. The image was captured on 13 October 2025 from a light-polluted urban backyard. Image credit: Kym Thalassoudis.

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 15d

The Last Quarter Moon is currently in the constellation Gemini, passing near the bright stars Castor and Pollux -- the twins of Greek mythology. In ancient times, the Gemini twins were considered patron saints of seafarers. 🔭
Sky mythology books: skymaps.com/myths/

Image: Plate 15 (Gemini), A Celestial Atlas, Alexander Jamieson (1822)

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 18d

🌞 Going "Solar" for two upcoming Science Fairs. In preparation I have equipped two telescopes for solar viewing -- a 150mm f/8 refractor with a Herschel Wedge + solar narrowband filter, and a 66mm refractor + solar film filter. Over 1,000 guests are expected so wish me luck! 🔭
#outreach #sun

$A photograph taken during daytime showing a large refractor telescope pointing at the Sun between the clouds. The telescope is fitted with a Herschel Wedge to dissipate heat and to greatly reduce the sunlight entering the eyepiece.$ $A photograph in a garden setting showing a small refractor telescope fitted with a solar film filter in front of its primary lens. The telescope is also fitted with a diagonal and an eyepiece, and the entire telescope assembly is attached to a simple Alt-Az mount.$

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 19d

Over the next few hours, the waning Moon will pass near the Pleiades star cluster (aka The Seven Sisters or M45). Closest approach is at 6h UT on October 10th. Simply look up in the pre-dawn sky to enjoy the view. 🔭 #stargazing
Askar SQA55 image: skymaps.com/ir0/

A telescopic photograph of the Pleiades star cluster showing many bright white stars with light blue coloured nebulosity surrounding the brighter stars. Credit: Kym Thalassoudis

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 19d

The former planet Pluto, now relegated to dwarf planet status, reaches its southernmost declination (−23.5°) at 21h UT on 9 October 2025 (evening sky). It's awfully faint at mag. 14.5, so this one is for the imagers. 🔭
More October sky events: skymaps.com/skycalendar/

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 20d

🌟 On 8 October 2025, the Moon reaches its closest point to Earth, known as perigee, at 12:50 UT (now). At this time, the Moon is 359,819 km (or 223,581 miles) away, with an angular diameter of 33.2 arc minutes. 🔭
#stargazing
skymaps.com/skycalendar/

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 22d

🌕 The Full Moon in October 2025 occurred on the 7th at 3:48 UT (just over an hour ago). 🔭
#stargazing
More celestial events for October 2025: skymaps.com/skycalendar/

A telescopic photograph of the Full Moon. Credit: Kym Thalassoudis

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 25d

Saturday October 4th is International Observe the Moon Night, a global celebration of our nearest celestial neighbour. Here's a photo from last night where I shared spectacular telescopic views of the Moon with many visitors throughout the evening. 🔭
Learn more: moon.nasa.gov/observe/

A photograph taken in the early evening showing a several small groups of adults and a few children standing next to telescopes in a tree-lined park. The people are looking skywards towards the Moon which is out of shot. Credit: Kym Thalassoudis

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 27d

Dwarf planet 1 Ceres reaches opposition at 4h UT (now) on 2 October 2025. Ceres is currently located in the constellation Cetus (The Whale) and shines at magnitude 7.6. Binoculars or a low-power telescope will reveal its location. Good luck! 🔭
#stargazing

A star chart created with Sky Safari Pro showing the constellation Cetus and the location of the dwarf planet 1 Ceres.

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 27d

Unfortunately there are no comets in the near future that are expected to be easily visible to the naked eye. Such comets are few and far between. But you never know. Some comets undergo outbursts and new comets are regularly discovered. In the meantime, grab a pair of binos and enjoy the view. ☄️

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 27d

The October issue of The Evening Sky Map includes the daily path of comets C/2025 R2 (ATLAS) and C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) on the northern hemisphere all-sky map, making the comets easier to find by using the background stars. 🔭
#stargazing #comet

The Evening Sky Map is a 2-page monthly publication that features an all-sky map of the night sky, a calendar of celestial events, and a list of celestial objects visible to the naked eye, binoculars and telescopes.

C/2025 R2 (ATLAS) imaged on 17 Sept 2025 from Adelaide, South Australia. Credit: Kym Thalassoudis

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 29d

🌓 29 September: First Quarter Moon at 23:54 UT (now).

The days around First Quarter Moon are a great time to view craters and many other lunar features. A telescope will provide spectacular views. 🔭
#stargazing #moon #space
Sky Calendar: skymaps.com/skycalendar/

A First Quarter Moon showing well defined craters along the terminator.

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · 29d

🌟 The October 2025 edition of The Evening Sky Map is ready for download at skymaps.com/tesm/. The PDF features a Sky Calendar and easy-to-use sky maps for the northern and southern hemispheres, as well as equatorial regions. Please share, and enjoy exploring the Universe! 🔭
#stargazing

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · Sep 27

🌙 In a few hours, Antares the brightest star in Scorpius will be occulted by the Moon. The event starts around 16h UT on 27 September and is visible from Antarctica and north-western French Southern Territories. A close conjunction will be visible elsewhere. 🔭
#stargazing

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · Sep 26

The Moon will reach apogee (farthest from Earth) at 10h UT (now) on 26 September. At this time the Moon's distance from Earth will be 405,548 km or 251,996 miles and span an angular size of 29.5 arc-minutes.🔭
#stargazing

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · Sep 24

🌙 Over the next few hours, the crescent Moon will pass near the red-planet Mars in Virgo. Closest approach occurs at 12h UT on Sept. 24th. The event will be visible across the globe as night falls. Simply look to the west!
#stargazing #Mars
More events: skymaps.com/skycalendar/

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · Sep 22

The September equinox occurs on 22 September at 18:19 UT (now). This is the instant when the Sun reaches the point along the ecliptic where it crosses into the southern celestial hemisphere marking the start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. 🔭

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Kym @ The Evening Sky Map @skymaps.com · Sep 22

An image of Messier 7, Ptolemy's Cluster, taken a few minutes ago from a Bortle 7 light polluted site. The large cluster lies 980 light years away and contains about 80 stars, seen here against a background of much fainter Milky Way stars. 🔭
Imaging rig: skymaps.com/ir1/

A telescopic image of a large open star cluster consisting of about 80 brighter stars against a background of thousands of much fainter stars in the Milky Way. Credit: Kym Thalassoudis

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