We’ve braved our way into the final month of winter here in Sydney, so by now you might be sick of wearing three pairs of socks to keep your feet warm inside Sydney's notoriously frosty dwellings (or just sick). But before you resign yourself to another couple of weeks of hibernation, we'd suggest popping on your puffiest jacket and getting outside to look up at the night sky. We all know that Sydney comes alive during the summer months (miss you, rooftop cocktails) but even when it’s on the cooler side there are plenty of things to do, including: stargazing. Did you know that winter is the best time of the year for Australians to witness special celestial happenings?
Dr Stefania Barsanti, an astronomer from the Australian National University, has urged that now is the time to get outside and see some spectacular sights before they fade into the abyss.
Another astronomer, Dr Ian Musgrave told the ABC that “a lot of the dust and nastiness that makes the skies less brilliant during summer has either been washed out or settled, so the skies are clearer”.
So what exactly will you see if you head outside on a cold Sydney evening? Our favourite event on Sydney's stargazing calendar this winter is the Perseid meteor shower – a result of the Swift-Tuttle comet shedding ice and rock along its orbit, which creates what we see as shooting stars. Even though this peaked earlier this week, it continues activity through August – possibly until September 1, according to NASA.
For your best bet at a glimpse, go out on a clear night and escape light pollution as much as you can. If you're on the Northern Beaches, consider the fact that Palm Beach Headland has been recently recognised as Australia’s – and the whole Southern Hemisphere’s – first “Urban Night Sky Place” (UNSP).
Even better, head out onto the rooftop at Sydney's Aster Bar to skygaze with an actual astrophysicist to guide your eye. The bar is hosting a series called Astronomy Nights, with a couple more events on August 22 and 29.
Even if you've missed the peak of the Perseids, there's a whole universe of other twinkling features up there. At this time of year in the Southern Hemisphere you can even spot other galaxies. Yes, entire GALAXIES – look out for two fluffy shapes that are known as Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, which are almost 200,000 light years away.
You can also see cool constellations like Crux, the Jewel Box, Centaurus, Scorpius and Alpha Centauri. To spot the Emu in the Sky (Gugurmin), head out on a clear night and track down the Southern Cross, where you can also see a head and beak illuminated.
Happy stargazing, Sydney.
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