82° UPScorpiusthe Scorpion
Looknorthern sky
Anchor starAntares
How to know itA genuinely scorpion-shaped curve of stars led by red Antares, riding low across the southern summer sky.
SKY · CONSTELLATIONS · AUSTRALIA
Constellations Visible Tonight — Melbourne
Tonight over Melbourne, 10 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 · MELBOURNE
Dark by6:32 PM
Until7:27 AM
High up now10
Never rise here3
Altitudes computed for Melbourne (-37.8°, 145.0°) during tonight's dark hours.
High in the sky over Melbourne tonight
76° UPSagittariusthe Archer / the Teapot
Looknorth-eastern 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.
71° UPCentaurusthe Centaur
Looksouth-western sky
Anchor starAlpha Centauri
How to know itHolds Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to the Sun, and wraps around the Southern Cross.
59° UPCruxthe Southern Cross
Looksouth-western 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° UPAquilathe Eagle
Looknorth-eastern sky
Anchor starAltair
How to know itBright Altair completes the Summer Triangle with Vega and Deneb, straddling the celestial equator.
34° UPCarinathe Keel
Looksouth-eastern 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.
31° UPOrionthe Hunter
Looknorth-eastern sky
Anchor starRigel / Betelgeuse
How to know itThe most recognisable constellation on Earth — the three-star Belt sits almost on the celestial equator, so nearly everyone can see it.
27° UPCanis Majorthe Great Dog
Lookeastern sky
Anchor starSirius
How to know itContains Sirius, the brightest star in the entire night sky, trailing just behind Orion.
26° UPTaurusthe Bull
Looknorth-eastern sky
Anchor starAldebaran
How to know itMarked by orange Aldebaran and the tiny, sparkling Pleiades star cluster on the Bull’s shoulder.
22° UPBoötesthe Herdsman
Looknorthern sky
Anchor starArcturus
How to know itA kite-shaped figure led by Arcturus, the brightest star of the northern spring sky.
“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 Melbourne
These clear the horizon but stay low, so trees and buildings may hide them: Pegasus (~17°, north-western) · Lyra (~15°, northern) · Leo (~12°, north-western) · Andromeda (~12°, northern) · Perseus (~6°, northern) · Cygnus (~5°, north-eastern).
Out of reach from Melbourne
At Melbourne's latitude these never climb above the horizon, so you can't see them from here at any time of year: Gemini, Cassiopeia, Ursa Major. To catch them, you'd need to travel toward the Northern Hemisphere.
Melbourne right now
More sky over Melbourne
SEE IT ON THE MAP
The live sky map shows the day/night line over Melbourne in real time.