SkyEye

Sky Charts

The stars are mansions built by Nature's hand,
And, haply, there the spirits of the blest
Dwell, clothed in radiance, their immortal vest…
— William Wordsworth, "The stars are mansions built by Nature's hand", 1820

About the Charts

The sky charts are drawn in colour on a dark background. Coloured circles of varying radii represent stars. The larger the circle, the brighter the star. Binary and multiple star systems that appear as a single object to the naked eye are represented by their combined magnitude. The colours represent the spectral types (surface temperatures) of the stars, with blue being the hottest and red the coolest. A selection of other interesting celestial objects are drawn in green, with thick green lines representing the figures of the constellations. Star positions (epoch J2000), magnitudes and colours are taken from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Star Catalog. The limiting stellar magnitude is is +4.5 with a few fainter stars to complete the constellation lines. The limiting magnitude for other objects is approximately +6.0.

In each chart, the zenith (the position directly over the observer) is located in the centre of the chart and marked with a white cross. All of the stars are projected from this point. As a result, objects near zenith are as they appear in the sky but objects nearer to the horizon circle are considerably more distorted. Since it is difficult if not impossible to observe things close to the horizon, it is hoped that this distortion will not cause undue problems.

To use the sky chart, turn it around until the direction you are facing is located at the bottom. The usable part of the chart ranges from the lower horizon circle to the zenith.

All-Sky Charts

The times across the top of the tables represent your local time. Summer or daylight savings time runs one hour ahead of standard time and is indicated in parentheses.

First choose the month and time of night. Note the chart number corresponding to your selection.

Time
(Summer Time)
15:30
(16:30)
17:30
(18:30)
19:30
(20:30)
21:30
(22:30)
23:30
(00:30)
01:30
(02:30)
03:30
(04:30)
05:30
(06:30)
07:30
(08:30)
15 January Chart 23 Chart 1 Chart 3 Chart 5 Chart 7 Chart 9 Chart 11 Chart 13 Chart 15
15 February Chart 1 Chart 3 Chart 5 Chart 7 Chart 9 Chart 11 Chart 13 Chart 15 Chart 17
15 March Chart 3 Chart 5 Chart 7 Chart 9 Chart 11 Chart 13 Chart 15 Chart 17 Chart 19
15 April Chart 5 Chart 7 Chart 9 Chart 11 Chart 13 Chart 15 Chart 17 Chart 19 Chart 21
15 May Chart 7 Chart 9 Chart 11 Chart 13 Chart 15 Chart 17 Chart 19 Chart 21 Chart 23
15 June Chart 9 Chart 11 Chart 13 Chart 15 Chart 17 Chart 19 Chart 21 Chart 23 Chart 1
15 July Chart 11 Chart 13 Chart 15 Chart 17 Chart 19 Chart 21 Chart 23 Chart 1 Chart 3
15 August Chart 13 Chart 15 Chart 17 Chart 19 Chart 21 Chart 23 Chart 1 Chart 3 Chart 5
15 September Chart 15 Chart 17 Chart 19 Chart 21 Chart 23 Chart 1 Chart 3 Chart 5 Chart 7
15 October Chart 21 Chart 19 Chart 21 Chart 23 Chart 1 Chart 3 Chart 5 Chart 7 Chart 9
15 November Chart 19 Chart 21 Chart 23 Chart 1 Chart 3 Chart 5 Chart 7 Chart 9 Chart 10
15 Decemeber Chart 21 Chart 23 Chart 1 Chart 3 Chart 5 Chart 7 Chart 9 Chart 11 Chart 13

Then choose the latitude closest to your location and select your chart.

60° N 50° N 40° N 30° N 20° N 10° N Equator 10° S 20° S 30° S 40° S
Chart 1 Chart 1 Chart 1 Chart 1 Chart 1 Chart 1 Chart 1 Chart 1 Chart 1 Chart 1 Chart 1
Chart 3 Chart 3 Chart 3 Chart 3 Chart 3 Chart 3 Chart 3 Chart 3 Chart 3 Chart 3 Chart 3
Chart 5 Chart 5 Chart 5 Chart 5 Chart 5 Chart 5 Chart 5 Chart 5 Chart 5 Chart 5 Chart 5
Chart 7 Chart 7 Chart 7 Chart 7 Chart 7 Chart 7 Chart 7 Chart 7 Chart 7 Chart 7 Chart 7
Chart 9 Chart 9 Chart 9 Chart 9 Chart 9 Chart 9 Chart 9 Chart 9 Chart 9 Chart 9 Chart 9
Chart 11 Chart 11 Chart 11 Chart 11 Chart 11 Chart 11 Chart 11 Chart 11 Chart 11 Chart 11 Chart 11
Chart 13 Chart 13 Chart 13 Chart 13 Chart 13 Chart 13 Chart 13 Chart 13 Chart 13 Chart 13 Chart 13
Chart 15 Chart 15 Chart 15 Chart 15 Chart 15 Chart 15 Chart 15 Chart 15 Chart 15 Chart 15 Chart 15
Chart 17 Chart 17 Chart 17 Chart 17 Chart 17 Chart 17 Chart 17 Chart 17 Chart 17 Chart 17 Chart 17
Chart 19 Chart 19 Chart 19 Chart 19 Chart 19 Chart 19 Chart 19 Chart 19 Chart 19 Chart 19 Chart 19
Chart 21 Chart 21 Chart 21 Chart 21 Chart 21 Chart 21 Chart 21 Chart 21 Chart 21 Chart 21 Chart 21
Chart 23 Chart 23 Chart 23 Chart 23 Chart 23 Chart 23 Chart 23 Chart 23 Chart 23 Chart 23 Chart 23