Meteors, supermoons, a comet: a guide to the southern sky in 2024

Nick Lomb Nick Lomb
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What exciting events will we see in the southern sky in 2024? Meteor showers, Saturn covered by the Moon, close approaches of bright planets to each other, supermoons – and, if we’re lucky, a comet visible to the naked eye.

Even if you live in a city surrounded by light pollution, these are all worth looking out for. Here are some of the highlights.

May – the Eta Aquarid meteors

The first of the two main Southern Hemisphere meteor showers during the year is the Eta Aquariid or Eta Aquarid shower. It’s named after a star in the constellation of Aquarius, the Water Carrier, as the meteors appear to originate from there.

Meteors are small particles hitting Earth’s atmosphere and creating a streak of light as they burn up. A meteor shower occurs when many particles hit, all coming from the same direction.

They are generally due to Earth passing through a stream of dust left behind by a comet. For the Eta Aquariids, the comet is the famous Halley’s Comet, which was first recorded more than 2,000 years ago.

In 2024, there will be a good opportunity to see them in the early mornings of Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 May, as the Moon will not be brightening the sky.

December – the Geminid meteors

The second of the two main meteor showers is the Geminid shower. This originates in the direction of the constellation of Gemini, the Twins.

Unusually, they are associated not with a comet but with a rocky asteroid named Phaeton. In 2024, they are likely to be best seen early on the morning of Saturday 14 December.

The peak time to view is during the short interval between the setting of the Moon and the start of dawn.

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March, June and August – the planets

Celestial objects approaching one another in the sky can provide a nice view. On the evening of Friday 22 March, the brightest planet Venus is less than the width of the Moon away from the ringed planet Saturn. Look low down in the east.

For people in the eastern part of Australia, the Moon covers the planet Saturn low in the eastern sky on the night of Thursday 27 June. The event can be seen by eye, but binoculars or a small telescope would help.

It is safe to take images or video. From Sydney, Saturn disappears at the bright edge of the Moon at 10:55pm and reappears at its dark edge at 11:41pm. The times for Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne are similar.

Diagram showing Saturn disappearing behind the Moon and later reappearing.

The occultation or covering of Saturn on Thursday 27 June 2024. (Image: Nick Lomb / Stellarium)

Another close approach is in the early morning of Thursday 15 August, when the red planet Mars is less than a Moon-width from the giant planet Jupiter.

September and October – supermoons

There will be two supermoons during 2024. The Moon has a path that sometimes takes it further from Earth and sometimes closer.

Recently, a time when the full Moon coincides with the Moon at its closest point to Earth has become known as a supermoon. At this time the Moon is slightly larger in the sky than usual.

It’s best to look at moonrise, as an illusion in our brains makes the Moon appear larger when it’s near the horizon. The supermoons in 2024 are on Wednesday 18 September and Thursday 17 October.

October – Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)

Comets visible to the naked eye are rare and exciting events. A comet with the impressive name of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), discovered in January 2023, is approaching the Sun and Earth, and may become bright enough to be easily seen. As yet, it is unknown whether this will happen – comets are notoriously fickle.

At a distance of 71 million kilometres, the comet will be closest to Earth on Sunday 13 October. However, for the next six days a bright Moon will make sighting it unlikely.

By Saturday 19 October, the Moon will have moved out of the way. That evening and the following few evenings will give us the best chance to see it. Look low in the west.

January and May – constellations

Not only these highlighted events can be seen in the sky. There are star pictures or constellations that still stand out in the sky of bright cities.

Orion, the Hunter, is a favourite Southern Hemisphere summer constellation, high in the northern sky on January evenings. It consists of four bright stars in a rectangle with a line of three stars, representing Orion’s belt, in the middle.

A photo of the constellation Orion.

The constellation Orion is named for a hunter from Greek myth. (Image: Nick Lomb)

According to Greek legend, Orion was a great hunter who vowed to kill all animals. To stop him carrying out his threat, one of the gods sent a scorpion to kill him. This ancient story with Scorpius, the Scorpion chasing Orion takes place above our heads each night.

A photo of the constellation Scorpius.

The constellation Scorpius is named for its resemblance to a scorpion. (Image: Nick Lomb)

Scorpius is another spectacular constellation with a curved line of bright stars, with a red star forming the creature’s heart. In January, people who are up at around 3 am can see Scorpius rising in the east, while its quarry Orion is sinking in the west. Alternatively, if you don’t like early mornings you can see the same scene on May evenings after dusk.

The information in this article is from the 2024 Australasian Sky Guide. The guide contains monthly star maps and has much more information to assist with viewing and enjoying the night sky from Australia and New Zealand.The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation, the world’s leading publisher of research-based news and analysis. It was written by: Nick Lomb, University of Southern Queensland.

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Nick Lomb
I have had a variety of research directions over my career. During my PhD project on short period variable stars, I developed the theory of least squares frequency analysis for unequally spaced data. This is now a standard method of numerical analysis, called the Lomb or Lomb-Scargle Periodogram, that is used in astronomy and other fields. Later at Sydney Observatory, the focus was on astrometry, that is, the positions and motions of stars and solar system objects. This work culminated in the publication of a star catalogue, of which I was co-author. Then, when the Observatory came under the auspices of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, I became the Museum’s Curator of Astronomy. As such, I planned exhibitions and collected and looked after instruments and other items relating to astronomy. I was also involved with the media and with public education and outreach. On leaving the Observatory and the Museum, my research emphasis became the history of Australian astronomy, with my latest book, with Toner Stevenson, 'Eclipse Chasers', to be released in March 2023. As well, I continue to prepare the annual Australasian Sky Guide for Powerhouse Publishing and maintain my interest in combatting light pollution.
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Explore historic wine towns and sculpture trails on a 3-day self-guided Murray River cruise

    Ricky French Ricky French
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    Slow down and find your rhythm on a Murray River journey through time and place. 

    Trust is a funny thing. It seems not that long ago that my mother was insisting on pouring the milk into my cereal bowl, because she didn’t trust me not to slosh it over the table, and yet here I am on the Murray River at Mildura in far north-west Victoria, being handed the keys to a very new and very expensive luxury houseboat. 

    After a crash course in how not to crash, I’m at the wheel of the good ship Elevate – pride of the All Seasons fleet – guiding her upstream past red-ochre cliffs as pelicans glide above the rippled river and kookaburras call from reedy banks. There’s a brief moment of breath-holding while I negotiate a hairpin turn around a jagged reef of skeletal, submerged gum trees, before a cheer rings out and calm descends as the timeless river unfurls in front of us.    

    Murray River
    The Murray River winding through Yarrawonga. (Image: Rob Blackburn)

    Setting sail from Mildura 

    Murray River birds
    Home to a large number of bird species, including pelicans. (Image: The Precint Studios)

    A journey along the Murray River is never less than magical, and launching from Mildura makes perfect sense. Up here the river is wide and largely empty, giving novice skippers like myself the confidence to nudge the 60-tonne houseboat up to the riverbank where we tie up for the night, without fear of shattering the glass elevator (the boat is fully wheelchair accessible) or spilling our Champagne.  

    My friends and I spend three days on the water, swimming and fishing, sitting around campfires onshore at night, and basking in air so warm you’d swear you were in the tropics. The simplicity of river life reveals an interesting dichotomy: we feel disconnected from the world but at the same time connected to Country, privileged to be part of something so ancient and special.  

    Stop one: Echuca  

    19th-century paddlesteamers
    A historic 19th-century paddlesteamer cruises along the Murray River. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    The six-hour drive from Melbourne to Mildura (or four hours and 20 minutes from Adelaide) is more than worth it, but you don’t have to travel that far to find fun on the river. Once Australia’s largest inland port, Echuca is the closest point on the Murray to Melbourne (two hours 45 minutes), and you’ll still find a plethora of paddlesteamers tethered to the historic timber wharf, a throwback to the thriving river trade days of the 19th century. The PS Adelaide, built in 1866 and the oldest wooden-hulled paddlesteamer operating in the world, departs daily for one-hour cruises, while a brand-new paddlesteamer, the PS Australian Star, is launching luxury seven-night voyages in December through APT Touring.  

    The town is also a hot food and wine destination. St Anne’s Winery at the historic Port of Echuca precinct has an incredibly photogenic cellar door, set inside an old carriage builders’ workshop on the wharf and filled with huge, 3000-litre port barrels. The Mill, meanwhile, is a cosy winter spot to sample regional produce as an open fire warms the red-brick walls of this former flour mill.  

    Stop two: Barmah National Park 

    Barmah National Park
    Camping riverside in Barmah National Park, listed as a Ramsar site for its significant wetland values. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

    Just half-an-hour upstream, Barmah National Park is flourishing, its river red gum landscape (the largest in the world) rebounding magnificently after the recent removal of more than 700 feral horses. The internationally significant Ramsar-listed wetland sits in the heart of Yorta Yorta Country, with Traditional Owners managing the environment in close partnership with Parks Victoria. Walkways weave through the forest, crossing creeks lined with rare or threatened plants, passing remnants of Yorta Yorta oven mounds and numerous scar trees, where the bark was removed to build canoes, containers or shields.  

    The Dharnya Centre (open weekdays until 3pm) is the cultural hub for the Yorta Yorta. Visitors can learn about the ecological significance of the Barmah Lakes on a 90-minute river cruise, led by a First Nations guide, or take a one-hour, guided cultural walking tour along the Yamyabuc Trail.  

    Stop three: Cobram 

    Yarrawonga MulwalaGolf Club Resort
    Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Continue east to Cobram to find the southern hemisphere’s largest inland beach. Swarming with sun-seekers in summer, the white sand of Thompson’s Beach is shaded by majestic river red gums and dotted with hundreds of beach umbrellas, as beachgoers launch all manner of water craft and set up stumps for beach cricket. But the beach is at its most captivating at sunset, when the crowds thin out, the glassy river mirrors the purple sky, and the canopies of the gum trees glow fiery orange. 

    The region is also home to some fine resorts and indulgent retreats. Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort has two riverside championship golf courses, luxury apartments and self-contained villas. While not strictly on the Murray, the historic wine town of Rutherglen is rife with boutique (and unique) accommodation, including an exquisitely renovated red-brick tower in a French provincial-style castle at Mount Ophir Estate. Fans of fortified wines can unravel the mystery of Rutherglen’s ‘Muscat Mile’, meeting the vignerons and master-blenders whose artistry has put the town on the global map for this rich and complex wine style.  

    Stop four: Albury-Wodonga 

    First Nations YindyamarraSculpture Walk
    First Nations Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk is part of the Wagirra Trail. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

    Follow the river far enough upstream and you’ll arrive at the twin border cities of Albury-Wodonga. The Hume Highway thunders through, but serenity can be found along the five-kilometre Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk – part of the Wagirra Trail that meanders through river wetlands just west of Albury in Wiradjuri country. Fifteen sculptures by local First Nations artists line the trail, conveying stories of reconciliation, enduring connection to culture, local Milawa lore and traditional practices. It feels a long way from Mildura, and it is, but the pelicans and kookaburras remind us that it’s the same river, the great conduit that connects our country. 

    A traveller’s checklist  

    Staying there

    New Mildura motel Kar-rama
    New Mildura motel Kar-rama. (Image: Iain Bond Photo)

    Kar-Rama is a brand-new boutique, retro-styled motel in Mildura, with a butterfly-shaped pool and a tropical, Palm Springs vibe. Echuca Holiday Homes has a range of high-end accommodation options, both on the riverfront and in town. 

    Playing there

    BruceMunro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura
    Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura. (Image: Imogen Eveson)

    Artist Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights installation, comprising more than 12,000 illuminated ‘fireflies’, is currently lighting up Mildura’s Lock Island in the middle of the Murray. Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) is a hub for contemporary art, with a rotating roster of exhibitions, and is a major outlet for young and First Nations artists. 

    Eating there

    Mildura’s diverse demographic means it’s a fantastic place to eat. Andy’s Kitchen is a local favourite, serving up delicious pan-Asian dishes and creative cocktails in a Balinese-style garden setting. Call in to Spoons Riverside in Swan Hill to enjoy locally sourced, seasonal produce in a tranquil setting overlooking the river.