APOD Australia

SH2-308 is a large emission nebula formed by powerful stellar winds from a central Wolf–Rayet star. The expanding shell of ionised gas is visible as a faint blue structure, with subtle variations showing areas of higher density and shock interaction.

C/2025 R2 (SWAN) is a long-period comet discovered in September 2025 by Vladimir Bezugly using the SWAN instrument on the SOHO spacecraft, known for its green hue and gas tail, becoming a popular binocular target in late 2025 as it moved through constellations like Virgo and Libra, offering a celestial show even as it faded by early 2026, requiring telescopes for observation.

The Running Chicken Nebula, catalogued primarily as IC 2944 (with associated regions including IC 2948), is a large H II region and active star-forming complex located in the constellation Centaurus, at a distance of approximately 6,500 light years (~2 kpc).

The Beaver Moon is the traditional name given to the November Full Moon in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Spare Tyre Nebula (IC 5148) is an expanding planetary nebula lying roughly 3,000 light-years away, located west of Lambda Gruis in the constellation of Grus

The Aurora Australis, often called the Southern Lights, is a natural light display that illuminates the night sky in high southern latitudes, most commonly around Antarctica, Tasmania, southern New Zealand and occasionally southern Australia.

The Apennine Mountains (Montes Apenninus) are among the most striking mountain ranges on the Moon, and they are especially impressive when observed at First Quarter.

The Seagull Nebula (IC 2177) is an expansive emission complex lying roughly 3,800 light-years away, straddling the constellations Monoceros and Canis Major.

The Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) is one of astronomy’s great optical illusions, instantly recognisable, yet wildly misunderstood.

SL-17 (Sandqvist & Lindroos 17), often called the Dark Wolf Nebula, is a striking dark nebula in the constellation Scorpius.

The Milky Way arch is the broad, luminous band of our home galaxy seen curving across the night sky, created by our edge-on view through the dense stellar disc of the Milky Way.

The Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070) is the largest and most active star-forming region in the Local Group of galaxies.

Orion Oasis by Tom Inslay.