Stargazing SA

03/09/2026

Last Quarter Moon, also known as Third Quarter Moon, occurs at 5:21pm ACST on Friday 4 September 2026. At this time, the Moon will be below the horizon from South Australia.
The Moon will eventually rise just before 2am on Saturday 5 Sept. Look for the Moon on Saturday morning before it sets around 11am. Many people are surprised to learn that the Moon can actually be seen during the daytime.

Clear skies and happy Moon hunting!



Image: NASA Scientific Visualisation Studio

02/09/2026

UPDATED: Upcoming Stargazing SA Events (click links for info & tickets)...

📅 Friday 18 September 2026: "Stargazing with Alpha Crucis Wines”, Chalk Hill Wines, McLaren Vale 🌟🍷
• Info & Tickets: https://www.exploretock.com/chalk-hill-wines-mclaren-vale/event/617751/stargazing-with-alpha-crucis

📅 Friday 25 September 2026: "Exploring the Universe from Your Backyard", City of Prospect Library 📚
• Info & Free Tickets at: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/exploring-the-universe-from-your-backyard-tickets-1992606111519

📅 Friday 16 October 2026: Pop-Up Telescope, Plant 4 Bowden 🍲
• Free. No Ticket Required. 🌓🔭

📅 Saturday 17 October 2026: International Observe the Moon Night, Plant 4 Bowden 🍲
• Free. No Ticket Required. 🌓🔭

📅 Friday 23 October 2026: Pop-Up Telescope: Saturn, Bottega Gelateria, Prospect 🍦
• Free. No Ticket Required. 🪐🔭

Info and booking details for future events will be posted once events are confirmed and/or tickets are released.

Thank you for your interest and support!

02/09/2026

Tonight (Wed 2 Sept'26): Look west after sunset to see the brightest planet Venus near Spica -- the brightest star in the constellation Virgo.

The pair will remain close for a few days with Venus gradually moving upwards and further away as each day passes.

Clear skies!

01/09/2026

Only a few tickets remain… More info at:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/exploring-the-universe-from-your-backyard-tickets-1992606111519

31/08/2026

✨ THE EVENING SKY MAP: SEPTEMBER 2026. One of the easiest ways to explore the night sky is with The Evening Sky Map – a FREE printable all-sky map & celestial calendar created in South Australia by Dr Kym Thalassoudis, Chief Stargazer at Stargazing SA.

🌏 The Evening Sky Map (PDF) is available in separate editions for the northern and southern hemispheres as well as equatorial regions. You can download the Southern Hemisphere edition for September 2026 at: skymaps.com/tesm/

🤓 Begin by reading the INSTRUCTIONS along the outer perimeter of the map. Then using the sky map and just your eyes, look up to find a bright star, planet, or star pattern in the night sky. Use a pair of binoculars to see fainter stars and other celestial objects that may be hidden in the light pollution.

😊 You will soon find yourself star-hopping from star-to-star as you discover the constellations and various celestial objects for yourself!

🤩 Stargazing is fun and easy. Anyone can do it. Simply Look Up, Explore, and Discover the Universe that surrounds us!

📚 Want to learn more about stargazing? The 5th edition of Nightwatch (2023) by Terence Dickinson is the most recommended book for newcomers. Link (Amazon AU): https://link.amazon/B0fsTzval

More books for newcomers at: skymaps.com/learn/

Wishing everyone clear skies and much enjoyment under the stars!

31/08/2026

☀🔭 The Stargazing SA team had a thoroughly enjoyable time at the Gawler Show sharing amazing close-up views of the Sun under perfectly clear skies.

Hundreds of visitors took the opportunity over the two days to look through our Solar Telescopes to safely view sunspot groups, multiple dark filaments, and several bright Earth-sized prominences extending from the edge of the Sun's surface. Lots of wows!, audible gasps and OMGs! at the impressive sights, with several children returning for more.

Just before sunset, we capped off a very long Saturday by turning our telescopes to the west to share telescopic views of the brilliant planet Venus (aka The Evening Star), currently displaying a crescent phase (yes, just like the Moon!), and later to the near Full Moon as it rose above the trees to the east.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to take a close look at our most important star in the sky, and to chat and ask questions about the amazing universe that surrounds us.

🙏 Finally, a big thank you to the Gawler Show for inviting the Stargazing SA team to be part of this major community event, and to Sky-Watcher Australia for the loan of a Heliostar Hydrogen-alpha telescope.

29/08/2026

Amazing Solar views at Gawler Show today.

28/08/2026

🌝 Full Moon Tonight (Friday, 28 August 2026): Step outside a little after 6pm tonight and look to the eastern horizon to view the spectacular Full Moon rising.

Technically the instant of Full Moon this month occurred earlier today at 1:49pm ACST. However, at that time the Moon was still well below our horizon in South Australia. Nevertheless, tonight's Moon will continue to appear "Full" given the actual instant was only about 4 hours earlier.

Clear skies and keep looking up!

27/08/2026

☀🔭 Getting ready for the Gawler Show by testing the Sky-Watcher Australia Heliostar 76mm Ha Solar Telescope. The Hydrogen-Alpha views of the Sun's chromosphere are the best we have ever seen in a Solar Telescope. Simply spectacular!

😮 Plenty of filaments, prominences and sunspots along with a bright flare evolving within a complex sunspot region. Just Wow!

✨ Stargazing SA will be at the Gawler Show this weekend (29-30 August 2026) with several Solar Telescopes including this Sky-Watcher 76mm Ha telescope. You can find us on the Village Green where we will be freely sharing safe views of our amazing star -- the Sun.

🌝 Also, after sunset, we will turn our telescopes towards dazzlingly bright Venus in the northwest and the near Full Moon as it rises in the east.

So be sure to stop by to say hello and to look through our telescopes.

26/08/2026