88° UPSagittariusthe Archer / the Teapot
Lookeastern sky
Anchor starKaus Australis
How to know itIts bright stars form a "Teapot" — and it points straight at the dense, glowing centre of the Milky Way.
SKY · CONSTELLATIONS · AUSTRALIA
Constellations Visible Tonight — Brisbane
Tonight over Brisbane, 13 of the bright, easy-to-spot constellations climb high into a dark sky. Here's what's up, how high, and which way to face.
DARK-SKY WINDOW TONIGHT · BRISBANE
Dark by5:56 PM
Until6:41 AM
High up now13
Never rise here1
Altitudes computed for Brisbane (-27.5°, 153.0°) during tonight's dark hours.
High in the sky over Brisbane tonight
87° UPScorpiusthe Scorpion
Looksouth-eastern sky
Anchor starAntares
How to know itA genuinely scorpion-shaped curve of stars led by red Antares, riding low across the southern summer sky.
67° UPCentaurusthe Centaur
Looksouthern sky
Anchor starAlpha Centauri
How to know itHolds Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to the Sun, and wraps around the Southern Cross.
60° UPAquilathe Eagle
Looknorthern sky
Anchor starAltair
How to know itBright Altair completes the Summer Triangle with Vega and Deneb, straddling the celestial equator.
57° UPCruxthe Southern Cross
Looksouthern sky
Anchor starAcrux
How to know itThe smallest constellation, but the most famous in the south — its long axis points toward the south celestial pole.
44° UPLeothe Lion
Looknorth-western sky
Anchor starRegulus
How to know itA backwards question-mark (the "Sickle") forms the Lion’s head, anchored by bright Regulus.
42° UPPegasusthe Winged Horse
Looknorthern sky
Anchor starMarkab
How to know itThe "Great Square" of Pegasus is a big, easy autumn signpost high in the eastern sky.
40° UPCarinathe Keel
Looksouth-western sky
Anchor starCanopus
How to know itHome to Canopus, the second-brightest star in the sky, and the spectacular Carina Nebula — a far-southern jewel.
32° UPBoötesthe Herdsman
Looknorthern sky
Anchor starArcturus
How to know itA kite-shaped figure led by Arcturus, the brightest star of the northern spring sky.
26° UPLyrathe Lyre
Looknorthern sky
Anchor starVega
How to know itSmall but led by Vega, one of the brightest stars in the sky and a corner of the Summer Triangle.
25° UPCanis Majorthe Great Dog
Lookwestern sky
Anchor starSirius
How to know itContains Sirius, the brightest star in the entire night sky, trailing just behind Orion.
22° UPAndromedathe Chained Princess
Looknorthern sky
Anchor starAlpheratz
How to know itHome to the Andromeda Galaxy — the most distant thing visible to the naked eye, a faint smudge on a dark night.
21° UPCygnusthe Swan / the Northern Cross
Looknorthern sky
Anchor starDeneb
How to know itA great cross of stars flying down the summer Milky Way, with brilliant Deneb at its tail.
“Up” is the highest the centre of each pattern gets above the horizon tonight — your fist at arm's length spans about 10°. Directions are where to face when it's best placed.
Low on the horizon from Brisbane
These clear the horizon but stay low, so trees and buildings may hide them: Ursa Major (~6°, northern) · Taurus (~3°, eastern) · Gemini (~3°, north-western) · Cassiopeia (~0°, northern) · Perseus (~0°, north-eastern).
Out of reach from Brisbane
At Brisbane's latitude these never climb above the horizon, so you can't see them from here at any time of year: Orion. To catch it, you'd need to travel toward the Northern Hemisphere.
Brisbane right now
More sky over Brisbane
SEE IT ON THE MAP
The live sky map shows the day/night line over Brisbane in real time.