Astronomical twilight ends at 18:03 UT at the beginning of the week and at 18:02 UT by the end of the week
Mars continues to be the highlight of our evening sky, shining at mag -1.1. Binoculars or a small telescope are sufficient to show dark patches on the planet’s surface
The Moon is Full on Monday – the Cold Moon. Having passed through apogee last Friday, this full Moon will be a ‘micromoon’, appearing slightly smaller and dimmer than usual
The Sun is very active right now, moreso than it has been for many months. It has four active regions: AR 2783, AR 2785, AR 2786 and AR 2787, with a combined sunspot number of 67. Look on the GONG/NSO website for impressive H Alpha images: Click here for GONG
The ISS makes multiple evening passes as follows:
Monday: 17:12, W to E, max 87° & 18:49, W, max 31°
Tuesday: 18:02, W to ESE, max 87°
Wednesday: 17:14, W to E, max 86° & 18:51, W to WSW, max 30°
Thursday: 18:03, W to SE, max 61°
Friday: 17:16, W to ESE, max 76° & 18:53, W to SW, max 23°
Saturday: 18:05, W to SSE, max 34°
Sunday: 17:17, W to SE, max 46° and 18:55, WSW to SSW, max 12°
Week of 23rd November
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:07 UT at the beginning of the week and at 18:04 UT by the end of the week
On Wednesday night the Moon (-11) and Mars (-1.3) traverse the sky together at only 5° separation
The Moon is Waxing Gibbous and will be Full early next week. It reaches apogee on Friday, when it will be at its most distant orbital point from Earth at about 403,000 km away. It will appear slightly smaller in the sky than usual, subtending only 29.4 arcminutes across the sky, compared to its average size of 31.1 arcmin
The Sun has two active regions, AR 2783 and AR 2784, with a combined sunspot number of 23. This continues the sustained increase in solar activity as Solar Cycle 25 intensifies
The ISS makes multiple evening passes as follows:
Monday: 17:55, SSW to SE, max 31° & 19:31, WSW, max 12°
Tuesday: 17:08, SSW to E, max 22° & 18:44, WSW, max 36°
Wednesday: 17:56, SSW to ESE, max 56° & 19:33, W, max 12°
Thursday: 17:09, SW to E, max 42° & 18:46, W, max 37°
Friday: 17:58, WSW to SE, max 84° & 19:35, W, max 11°
Saturday: 17:11, WSW to E, max 71° & 18:47, W, max 34°
Sunday: 18:00, W to ENE, max 84° and 19:37, W, max 10°
Week of 16th November
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:13 UT at the beginning of the week and at 18:08 UT by the end of the week
The Leonid meteor shower peaks on Tuesday night. The radiant is in the head of Leo. The shower produces a maxiumum of around 15 meteors per hour and is created by the Earth moving through debris left behind by Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1865, five years after the Cooke 10-inch was made
Mars continues to dominate the evening sky, shining at mag -1.5 and culminating at 21:07 UT
The Moon will be First Quarter on Sunday. It will make a close approach to Jupiter (-2.1) and Saturn (0.6) as it sets on Thursday evening
The Sun has one departing active region, AR 2781
The ISS returns to our evening skies this week with passes as follows:
Friday: 18:41, SSW to S, max 13°
Saturday: 17:55, S to SE, max 16°
Sunday: 17:09, SSE to ESE, max 11° and 18:43, SW to SSW, max 26°
Week of 9th November
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:21 UT at the beginning of the week and at 18:14 UT by the end of the week
Mercury (-0.6) reaches greatest elongation west on Tuesday and will be at its highest point in the morning sky, reaching an altitude of 15°. It is separated from the Sun by about 19°, take care if trying to observe Mercury. Venus is nearby shining at -4.0. Early risers will be treated to a fine view when the waning crescent Moon joins the scene on Thursday morning, making a beautiful trio of solar system objects
The Moon will be New on Sunday
The Sun has two active regions AR 2780 and AR 2781, with a combined sunspot number of 37. AR 2781 is the largest active region of the new solar cycle and is facing Earth, which could pose a geoeffective risk if it produces significant eruptions
There are no visible ISS evening passes this week
Week of 2nd November
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:31 UT at the beginning of the week and at 18:22 UT by the end of the week
The planets continue to make an impressive line of observing targets across the night sky, from west to east: Jupiter (-2.1), Saturn (0.6), Neptune (7.8), Mars (-2.0), Uranus (5.7) and for the early risers, Venus (-4.0) and Mercury (0.1)
Whilst not the most productive of meteor showers with only around 5 to 10 meteors per hour, the Taurids can be impressive. The shower peaks on Wednesday night. The Taurids are unusual in that they are generated by two separate streams of material, the first left behind by Asteroid 2004 TG10 and the second deposited by Comet 2P Enke
The Moon will be Last Quarter on Sunday
The Sun has two departing active regions AR 2778 and AR 2779, with a combined sunspot number of 26
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:42 UT at the beginning of the week and at 18:33 UT by the end of the week
Mars continues its journey westwards across our night sky, shining brightly at mag -2.3. Use binoculars or a telescope to observe surface features on the Red Planet. On Thursday it will be in conjunction with the Moon, separated by only 8°
Uranus reaches opposition on Saturday. It will be 18.79 AU from Earth, about 2.8 billion km away. At mag +5.7 and 3.8 arcsec, it is best observed through a telescope. Due to the proximity of the Full Moon on Saturday, it will be easier to spot the planet a day or two before or after opposition
The Moon will be Full on Saturday, the Hunter’s Moon. This is the second Full Moon of the month, making it known as a Blue Moon, though it won’t appear tinged blue! This use of the term ‘Blue Moon’ is a twentieth century custom that started in 1946. Historically the term was used to name a fourth Full Moon of a season, where normally only three Full Moons appear per season and have traditional names
The Sun currently has one active region AR 2776, which contains 11 sunspots
There are no visible ISS evening passes this week
Week of 19th October
Astronomical twilight ends at 19:56 BST at the beginning of the week and at 18:44 GMT by the end of the week
British Summer Time ends on Sunday, when the clocks go back one hour at 02:00 BST to become 01:00 GMT
Mars continues to be the highlight of our evening sky, shining brightly at mag -2.5. It rises at 18:00 BST and reaches its highest elevation of 43° around midnight
Jupiter (-2.2) and Saturn (0.5) are still visible, but have set by about 22:30 BST
The Orionid meteor shower peaks on Wednesday. It can produce around 15 to 20 meteors an hour. The parent body that creates this meteor shower has been identified as comet 1P/Halley
The Moon will be First Quarter on Friday. On Thursday and Friday evenings it will make a close approach to Jupiter and Saturn
The Sun currently has one active region AR 2776, which contains around 15 sunspots
There are no visible ISS evening passes this week
Week of 12th October
Astronomical twilight ends at 20:10 BST at the beginning of the week and at 19:58 BST by the end of the week
At 00:18 BST on Wednesday, Mars will be at opposition, situated directly opposite the Sun. This is the best time this decade to observe Mars as it will be at its largest and brightest in our night sky. It will be about 0.42 AU away, shining at a magnitude of -2.6 and its disc will measure 22.3 arcseconds in diameter. It is at its highest point in the sky at around 01:00 BST, when it will be at an altitude of about 43°. Get out there and observe Mars, ideally through binoculars or a telescope; can you see any dark surface feature details?
The Moon will be New on Friday
The Sun currently has two sunspots, active regions AR 2774 and AR 2775. Their polarity and high southerly latitude identify them as members of the new Solar Cycle 25
There are no visible ISS evening passes this week
Week of 5th October
Astronomical twilight ends at 20:26 BST at the beginning of the week and at 20:12 BST by the end of the week
Mars reaches perigee on Tuesday, when it will be at the closest point to Earth in its orbit, around 62 million km. This makes Mars appear largest and brightest in our sky, at magnitude -2.6 with an apparent size of 22.6 arc seconds. It is moving ever closer to opposition, which occurs on 14th October
The Moon will be Last Quarter on Saturday
The Sun currently has no visible sunspots. This spotless stretch is 8 days
Astronomical twilight ends at 20:42 BST at the beginning of the week and at 20:28 BST by the end of the week
The planets continue to impress in our evening sky. Mars (-2.5) is climbing ever higher, rising at around 19:30 BST this week. Jupiter (-2.4) and Saturn (0.5) are in the West, setting at around midnight
The Moon will be Full on Thursday 1st October – the Harvest Moon. Occuring so early in the month allows a second Full Moon to fall in October, the 31st will see a ‘Blue’ Moon
The Sun currently has no visible sunspots. Active Region 2773 lasted for three days during last week, but has now settled down
The ISS makes multiple evening passes this week as follows:
Monday: 20:48, W to S, max 73°
Tuesday: 20:01, W to ESE, max 85° & 21:38, W, max 19°
Wednesday: 19:14, W to E, max 87° & 20:51, W to SSW, max 43°
Thursday: 20:03, W to SE, max 57° & 21:41, W to WSW, max 12°
Friday: 19:16, W to ESE, max 72° & 20:53, W to SSW, max 23°
Saturday: 20:06, W to SSE, max 32°
Sunday: 19:18, W to SE, max 43° & 20:57, WSW to SSW, max 11°
Week of 21st September
Astronomical twilight ends at 21:00 BST at the beginning of the week and at 20:45 BST by the end of the week
The September Equinox is on Tuesday and marks the start of autumn for the Northern Hemisphere. The Sun will cross the celestial equator at 14:15 BST on the 22nd and continue its journey appearing ever lower in the sky as we head towards winter. Day and night will be equal at 12 hours each and the Sun will rise due East and set due West, one of only two days in the year when this occurs. The nights are becoming longer, which is only a good thing for astronomers!
Mars is a beautiful evening object, shining at mag -2.3 with a distinct orange-red colour
Jupiter and Saturn continue to impress and will be joined by the Waxing Gibbous Moon on Friday
The Moon will be First Quarter on Thursday
The Sun is currently blank with no visible sunspots – this spotless stretch is now at 30 days
The ISS makes multiple evening passes this week as follows:
Monday: 19:52, SW to E, max 32° & 21:28, WSW to WSW, max 46°
Tuesday: 20:41, WSW to E, max 73° & 22:18, W, max 14°
Wednesday: 19:54, WSW to E, max 58° & 21:30, W, max 43°
Thursday: 20:43, W to E, max 87° & 22:20, W, max 12°
Friday: 19:56, WSW to E, max 85° & 21:32, W, max 36°
Saturday: 20:45, W to E, max 86°
Sunday: 19:58, W to E, max 84° & 21:34, W, max 28°
Week of 14th September
Astronomical twilight ends at 21:19 BST at the beginning of the week and at 21:03 BST by the end of the week
Mars is appearing ever higher in our evening sky. It is shining a fabulous orange-red colour and is currently at magnitude -2.1; this will brighten to -2.6 when at opposition in October
There is only a month or two left to observe Jupiter and Saturn. They are both in our western sky now and have set by about 01:00 BST
The Moon will be New on Thursday
The Sun is currently blank with no visible sunspots – this spotless stretch is now at 23 days; the deep solar minimum continues
The ISS returns to our evening skies with passes this week as follows:
Thursday: 21:25, SW to SSW, max 14°
Friday: 20:38, SSW to SSE, max 23°
Saturday: 19:51, S to ESE, max 16° and 21:26, WSW to SW, max 33°
Sunday: 20:39, SW to ESE, max 43° and 22:15, W, max 14°
Week of 7th September
Astronomical twilight ends at 21:38 BST at the beginning of the week and at 21:22 BST by the end of the week
Jupter (-2.5) and Saturn (+0.3) continue their journey westwards across our evening sky and make fabulous observing targets
On Tuesday, Venus reaches its highest point in the morning sky when it will be at about 35° altitude at sunrise, shining brightly at mag -4.2
Neptune reaches opposition on Friday and will be well placed at about 24° altitude in the southeast at 22:30 BST. Being only around mag +8, binoculars or a telescope will be required to observe the outermost planet in the solar system
Mars, shining at mag -2 in the East, is becoming an increasingly evident player on the stage of our evening sky as it moves towards opposition in October
The Moon will be Last Quarter on Thursday
The Sun is currently blank with no visible sunspots – this spotless stretch is now at 16 days
Astronomical twilight ends at 21:59 BST at the beginning of the week and at 21:41 BST by the end of the week
The planets offer the best observing targets this week with Jupiter at mag -2.5 transiting at around 21:30 BST, Saturn at mag +0.3, transiting at around 22:00 BST and Mars at mag -1.9 that transits at around 04:00 BST
The Moon will be Full (Harvest Moon) on Wednesday
The Sun is currently blank with no visible sunspots – this spotless stretch is now at 9 days
There are no evening ISS passes this week
Week of 24th August
Astronomical twilight ends at 22:20 BST at the beginning of the week and at 22:02 BST by the end of the week
Jupiter (-2.6) and Saturn (+0.3) continue to dominate the night sky in the South. They transit at around 22:00 and 22:35 BST respectively, so are well placed for observation in the evening sky
Mars is the rising centrepiece as it moves towards opposition in mid October. It will be at perigee in early October, making this apparition particularly favourable for observation. Mars is currently shining at mag -1.7 and brightening. It rises at around 22:00 BST and transits at 04:30 BST
The Moon will be First Quarter on Tuesday
The Sun is currently blank with no visible sunspots
There are no evening ISS passes this week
Week of 17th August
Astronomical twilight ends at 22:43 BST at the beginning of the week and at 22:24 BST by the end of the week
Seven Planet Challenge: It will be possible to see seven of the eight solar system planets this week. Start with Jupiter (-2.6) and Saturn (+0.2) in the southern evening sky. Next is Neptune (+7.8), which will be in the southeast around midnight. Mars (-1.5) will be at about 24° altitude in the East at 01:00 BST. Uranus (+5.8) is approx 16° further East. Venus (-4.3) rises at 02:08 BST. Finally, look to your feet for the seventh planet! Unfortunately, the full set is not possible as Mercury is hiding in the glare of the Sun
The Moon will be New on Wednesday
The Sun is currently blank with no visible sunspots
There are no evening ISS passes this week
Week of 10th August
Astronomical twilight ends at 23:07 BST at the beginning of the week and at 22:46 BST by the end of the week
The Perseid meteor shower peaks on Wednesday afternoon. Watch out on both Tuesday night (11th) and Wednesday night (12th) for this wonderful annual display of shooting stars as the Earth crashes through debris left behind by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. The Last Quarter Moon makes for good observing conditions and the shower can generate over 100 meteors per hour. Unfortunately, the current weather forecast is for thunderstorms, so grab your chance between clouds to spot a few Perseids
Jupiter and Saturn continue to shine brightly in our southern evening sky. On Tuesday, the shadow of the Gallilean moon Callisto will transit Jupiter’s disc, starting at 19:43 BST and moving off the disc at 23:55 BST
Venus reaches Greatest Elongation West on Wednesday, visible in the eastern morning sky at an altitude of about 32° just before sunrise, shining at mag -4.3, making it the third brightest object in the sky after the Sun and the Moon
The Moon will be Last Quarter on Tuesday
The Sun has one active region, AR 2770, which belongs to the new Solar Cycle 25
There are no visible evening ISS passes this week
Week of 3rd August
Astronomical twilight ends at 23:29 BST at the beginning of the week and at 23:06 BST by the end of the week
The Perseid meteor shower (Tears of St Lawrence) peaks in the afternoon of Wednesday 12th August. Usually one of the best showeres in the year, this year is favourable with a waning Moon and 80+ meteors an hour are predicted at peak. There is usually a good build up to the peak, so it is worth looking out for early shooting stars later this week and next week-end. Government guidlines and weather permitting a small gathering at the Dome may be permitted on 12th. Watch the website for updates.
Jupiter and Saturn continue to shine brightly in our southern evening sky. On Monday to the West of the Full Moon.
The Moon will be at Full (Sturgeon or Barley Moon) on Monday
The Sun has two active regions, AR 2767 and a fast growing spot 2769 on the NE limb, both belonging to the new Solar Cycle 25
There are no visible evening ISS passes this week.
Astronomical twilight ends at 00:08 BST at the beginning of the week and at 23:37 BST by the end of the week
Goodbye Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3)! The comet passed perigee on the 23rd and is now travelling away from both the Earth and Sun. It is fading and has dropped to about mag +3. This, along with the waxing Moon, will make it increasingly difficult to spot. This comet is not due to return to our skies for about 6,800 years. For a last look, find the comet after sunset in the northwest below the Plough
The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower peaks on Wednesday night. However, with only about 25 meteors per hour at its peak, which will reduce to around just 9 visible per hour due to the bright Moon, this is unlikely to be a particularly spectacular shower. The radiant is in Aquarius and the parent body responsible for the shower is thought to be comet P/2008 Y12 (SOHO)
Jupiter (-2.7) and Saturn (+0.1) continue to shine brightly in our southern evening sky. The pair are joined by a 97% waxing Moon on Saturday, when Jupiter will lie just 2° above the Moon
Mercury reaches its highest point in the morning sky on Monday. At sunrise, 05:24 BST, it will be at an altitude of 12° in the East. Take great care to avoid the Sun if trying to observe this event
The Moon will be at First Quarter on Monday
The Sun has one active region, AR 2767, in a high southerly latitude belonging to new Solar Cycle 25
The ISS makes visible evening passes this week as follows:
Monday – 21:42, W to ESE, max 73° & 23:19, W to SSW, max 23°
Tuesday – 22:31, W to SSE, max 32°
Wednesday – 21:43, W to SE, max 44° & 23:21, WSW to SW, max 11°
Thursday – 22:32, W to S, max 17°
Friday – 21:44, W to SSE, max 24°
Sunday – 21:46, WSW to SSW, max 12°
Week of 20th July
This week sees the return of astronomical darkness. On Monday night, starting at 00:51 BST, we will enjoy 54 minutes of ‘proper’ darkness. By Sunday, astronomical twilight will end at 00:14 BST, with astronomical darkness lasting for two hours
Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) continues to put on a fabulous display, though it is now starting to dim as it travels away from the Sun. It is best viewed in the evening sky, at 23:00 BST it is at an altitude of about 20° above the northwestern horizon. At the start of the week it is sitting around 15° below the Plough, by the front paw of the Great Bear, by the end of the week it will have moved West to sit behind the Bear’s back paw. Whilst it is still visible with the naked eye, the best views are gained with binoculars
Jupiter and Saturn make excellent evening targets in the southeastern sky this week. They are low to the horizon at an altitude of about 12°. Jupiter is mag -2.7 and Saturn is mag +0.1. Saturn reaches opposition on Monday, meaning it lies opposite the Sun from Earth and is best placed for the largest and brightest views. Look out for the transit of Jupiter’s moon Callisto on Saturday night, it moves across the gas giant’s disk from 22:55 BST until 03:00 BST on Sunday morning
Mercury is at Greatest Elongation West on Wednesday and will be visible at about 05:00 BST, just before sunrise, in the northeast at an altitude of about 9° shining at around mag +0.5. Venus is also a morning object, rising at around 02:30 BST and shining as the bright ‘morning star’ at mag -4.4
The Moon is New on Monday
The Sun has no active regions, with the current spotless stretch at 8 days
The ISS makes visible evening passes as follows:
Monday – 22:27, W to E, max 87°
Tuesday – 23:16, W to E, max 87°
Wednesday – 22:28, W to E, max 84°
Thursday – 23:17, W to ESE, max 72°
Friday – 22:29, W to ESE, max 85°
Saturday – 23:17, W to SSE, max 44°
Sunday – 22:29, W to SE, max 58°
Week of 13th July
Astronomical twilight does not end until 21st July
Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) is the finest comet to appear in our skies for many years. It is now circumpolar and is visible from sunset to sunrise. However, it is very low to the northern horizon, so you need to choose your observing location accordingly. Through the week it increasingly becomes an evening object. It is at 10° altitude and 338° azimuth at 23:00 BST on Monday evening, moving to 8° alt, 10° az by 02:00 BST that night. By Friday, it is at 16° alt, 330° az, at 23:00 BST and 9° alt, 359° az, at 02:00 BST on Saturday morning. This is a must see object, let’s hope for clear skies!
The planets make an impressive line up across the southern sky this week. Jupiter (mag -2.8) reaches opposition on Tuesday, it is also at perigee, making this the best time to observe Jupiter at its largest and brightest in our sky. It is visible along with Saturn (mag 0.1) at an altitude of around 14° above the southeastern horizon throughout the evening. For the night owls and early risers, Mars appears above the eastern horizon after midnight, followed by Venus, which rises in the northeast at about 02:45 BST. The waning crescent Moon rises within 3° of Venus on Friday morning and will make an impressive sight
The Moon is waning and starts the week at Last Quarter on Monday
The Sun currently has no active regions
The ISS is visible in our skies again with evening passes as follows:
Monday – 23:13, SSW to E, max 25°
Tuesday – 22:26, S to E, max 18°
Wednesday – 23:13, 23:13, SW to E, max 47°
Thursday – 22:26, SW to E, max 34°
Friday – 23:14, WSW to E, max 76°
Saturday – 22:26, WSW to E, max 61°
Sunday – 23:15, W to E, max 86°
Week of 6th July
Astronomical twilight does not end until 21st July
The Gas Giants, Jupiter and Saturn, are visible in the southeastern evening sky, with Jupiter rising at 21:41 BST and Saturn following close behind at 22:00 BST. Jupiter appears at about mag -3, while Saturn is some 16 times dimmer at mag 0. Watch as the Full Moon forms a right angle triangle with the two planets on Sunday night into Monday morning. Jupiter and Saturn both reach opposition later this month
Mars is starting to appear in our night sky, rising at around 00:30 BST. The best views will be later in the year as it reaches opposition in October
Venus continues to grace our morning skies, rising at around 03:00 BST and shining at mag -4.5 towards the northeast in the Hyades
The Moon is Waning Gibbous all week
The Sun has one small active region near its equator. The low latitude and magnetic polarity identify it as a member of the old Cycle 24, which still has a bit of life in it yet
Astronomical twilight does not end until 21st July
The Earth reaches aphelion on Saturday, the furthest point from the Sun in its annual orbit. It will be at a distance of 1.02 AU. Summer in the Northern hemisphere has nothing to do with the Earth – Sun distance, it is due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis being towards the Sun at this time of year
Venus is now a morning object, rising at around 03:30 BST and shining at about mag -4 in the East
The Moon is waxing and will be Full on Sunday
The Sun has one active region, AR 2766, in the southern hemisphere approaching the off going limb. This is the tenth Solar Cycle 25 sunspot this year, which indicates that the new cycle is gaining strength
There are no ISS evening passes visible this week
Week of 22nd June
Astronomical twilight does not end until 21st July
Jupiter and Saturn are now late evening risers. On Thursday there is a shadow transit of Jupiter’s largest moon, Ganymede. The transit commences at 23:35 BST and continues until 02:50 BST. Look about 8° above the southeastern horizon with binoculars to find Jupiter and observe this event
The Moon is waxing and will be First Quarter on Sunday
The Sun is quiet again and has no active regions
There are no ISS evening passes visible this week
Week of 15th June
Astronomical twilight does not end until 21st July
A lunar occultation of Venus occurs on Friday morning. Venus will be hidden from view at around 08:37 BST as the Moon passes between it and the Earth. It will re-emerge just over an hour later at about 09:42 BST. As this all happens in daylight with a thin waning crescent Moon, it will be quite tricky to spot the reappearance of Venus, but the start of the occultation should be easier to observe
The Summer Solstice is on Saturday. At 22:27 BST the Sun will be at its highest declination of around +23.5°, making 20th June the longest day this year in the Northern Hemisphere. This marks the astronomical start of summer. This day also sees the Sun setting at its most northerly point on the horizon, about 41° north of due West. The Sun used to be in the constellation of Cancer on the Summer Solstice, creating the Tropic of Cancer, the most northerly line of latitude on Earth which sees the Sun directly overhead. However, nowadays, due to precession (the wobble of the Earth on its axis over a 26,000 year period) the Sun is actually in Taurus
There is an annular solar eclipse on Sunday morning between 04:47 and 10:34 BST, but it will not be visible from the UK. Only observers in Africa and Asia will be direct witness to this spectacular heavenly event
The Moon is waning and will be New on Sunday
The Sun has one active region, AR2765, at a high southerly latitude
There are no ISS evening passes visible this week
Week of 8th June
Astronomical twilight does not end until 21st July
Keep an eye out for noctilucent clouds towards the northern horizon in the hour after sunset and before sunrise
Jupiter, Saturn and Mars are currently rising at around midnight to 1 am. They will become evening objects in about a month
The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Saturday
The Sun has one active region, AR2765, at a high southerly latitude
There are no ISS evening passes visible this week
Week of 1st June
Astronomical twilight does not end until 21st July
Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation on Thursday. Look to the northwest in the hour after sunset to spot Mercury at around 10° altitude
Reports suggest that Comet C/2020 F8 (SWAN) has dimmed significantly and is possibly disintegrating. Another comet that has failed to live up to the stories
Noctilucent cloud season has started. Look to the North in the hour after sunset to spot these opalescent clouds. They reside in the mesosphere some 80 km above the ground and are formed by water vapour crystallising around particles in the high atmosphere. They reflect the sunlight still able to reach those altitudes as the Sun has not sunk far below the horizon
The Moon is waxing and will be Full on Friday
The Sun has no active regions, with the current spotless stretch at 29 days
The ISS makes just one evening pass this week:
Monday: 22:12, WSW to SSW, max 13°
Astronomical twilight does not end until 21st July as the Sun does not sink lower than 18° below the horizon
Mercury reaches its highest point in the evening sky on Sunday. Look to the northwest in the hour after sunset to see Mercury climb ever higher this week
Comet C/2020 F8 (SWAN) reaches perihelion on Friday. Look to 18° altitude above the northwestern horizon at around 10pm BST. It is about mag +6, on the border of naked eye visibility, but given its low altitude and the lack of darkness, binoculars will be required
On Wednesday evening at 9.32pm BST you should be able to watch the NASA/SpaceX Demo-2 live launch online. The first launch from US soil to the ISS since 2011
Binocular Deep Sky Target of the Week: M13, The Great Hercules Cluster. This globular cluster is the brightest in the Northern Hemisphere sky and is easily visible in binoculars at mag +5.8. Look on the western side of the Keystone asterism in the constellation of Hercules. It lies about 25,000 light years away and contains some 300,000 stars
The Moon is waxing and will be First Quarter on Saturday
The Sun has no active regions, with the current spotless stretch at 22 days
The ISS makes the following evening passes this week:
Monday: 22:55, W to ESE, max 62°
Tuesday: 22:07, W to ESE, max 76° and 23:44, W to SSW, max 25°
Wednesday: 22:57, W to SSE, max 35°
Thursday: 22:09, W to SE, max 47° and 23:46, WSW to SW, max 13°
Friday: 22:58, W to S, max 18°
Saturday: 22:10, W to SSE, max 26°
Week of 18th May
Astronomical twilight ends at 00:16 BST at the start of the week. From Saturday, Astronomical Twilight does not end until 21st July as the Sun never sinks lower than 18° below the horizon
Mercury starts to climb into the western evening sky. On Thursday and Friday it is in conjunction with Venus, separated by less than 2° (Be careful of the setting Sun if you attempt to spot Mercury with binoculars)
Comet C/2020 F8 (SWAN) is now low in the northern horizon and is at around mag +6
The Moon is waning and will be New on Friday
The Sun has no active regions, with the current spotless stretch at 14 days
The ISS makes multiple bright evening passes this week as follows:
Monday: 22:03, SW to E, max 42° and 23:40, W to E, max 87°
Tuesday: 22:52, WSW to E, max 84°
Wednesday: 00:29, W to ESE, max 87°, 22:04, WSW to E, max 71° and 23:41, W to E, max 86°
Thursday: 22:53, W to E, max 84°
Friday: 00:30, W to S, max 61°, 22:05, W to E, max 88° and 23:42, W to ESE, max 76°
Saturday: 22:54, W to E, max 88°
Sunday: 00:31, W to SW, max 31°, 22:06, W to E, max 86° and 23:43, W to SSE, max 47°
Week of 11th May
Astronomical twilight ends at 23:39 BST at the start of the week and 00:09 BST at the end
Venus is appearing to change rapidly as it moves towards inferior conjunction; it starts the week as a 15% crescent and finishes at 10%. It is increasing in apparent size and will appear about 50 arcseconds by the end of the week. For comparison, at the end of 2019 it appeared only about 12 arcseconds in size
Comet C/2017 T2 (PANSTARRS) is expected to be at its brightest on Wednesday as it moves through Camelopardalis towards Ursa Major. It is a binocular target at around mag +8
Comet C/2020 F8 (SWAN) will become visible low to the northeastern horizon in our morning sky from the middle of the week. It has been exciting observers in the Southern Hemisphere as it is on the border of naked eye visibility at mag +6 and has a very elongated tail. It will be fascinating to watch how this comet develops over the coming weeks
The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Thursday
The Sun has no active regions, with the current spotless stretch at 8 days
The ISS returns to our evening sky this week with passes as follows:
Friday: 22:50, SW to E, max 31°
Saturday: 22:03, SSW to E, max 23° and 23:38, WSW to E, max 72°
Sunday: 22:51, WSW to E, max 57°
Week of 4th May
Astronomical twilight ends at 23:12 BST at the start of the week and 23:35 BST at the end
While Comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS) may have disappointed by breaking up, comets C/2017 T2 (PANSTARRS) and C/2020 F8 (SWAN) may give observers something to enjoy. PANSTARRS reaches perihelion on Tuesday and is well placed in Camelopardalis; however, at mag +8, binoculars or a telescope will be needed. Comet SWAN is not visible in the Northern Hemisphere yet, but should appear in our skies towards the end of May
Venus will appear in its crescent phase this week, shining brightly at mag -4.5 in the western evening sky
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks on Wednesday, though the Full Moon will drown out the majority of meteors. The shower is a result of the Earth passing through the stream of debris deposited by Halley’s Comet
The Moon will be Full on Thursday. This will be the ‘Flower Moon’, the fourth and last supermoon of the year
The Sun has no active regions, with the current spotless stretch at 2 days
Astronomical twilight ends at 22:48 BST at the start of the week and 23:08 BST at the end
Venus continues its orbit around the Sun, now moving closer to Earth, reaching its 25% illuminated phase on Friday. It appears larger and brighter in the evening sky, shining at mag -4.5. It will be at inferior conjunction on 3rd June, when it passes between Earth and the Sun. Unfortunately, the three will not be in syzygy this time; the next transit of Venus is not until 2117
The Moon will be First Quarter on Thursday, at this phase for the second time this month
There is one small sunspot on the Sun, AR 2760; it is close to the equator and part of Solar Cycle 24
There are no visible evening ISS passes this week
Week of 20th April
Astronomical twilight ends at 22:27 BST at the start of the week and 22:45 BST at the end
The peak of the Lyrid meteor shower is on the 22nd April, with meteors possible all week. It generates only around 17 to 18 meteors per hour, so is not as spectacular as the Geminids or Perseids with their maximum ZHRs of 80 to 100 meteors, but given the lack of moonlight, those that appear should be easy to spot. As the name suggests, the radiant is in the constellation of Lyra. The shower occurs as the Earth passes through debris left behind by comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher)
The Moon will be New on Thursday
There are currently no active regions on the Sun, with the spotless stretch now at 14 days
There are no visible evening ISS passes this week
Week of 13th April
Astronomical twilight ends at 22:09 BST at the start of the week and 22:25 BST at the end
Unfortunately it appears that Comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS) is not going to give us the display that was anticipated. Reports are of it dimming and of the nucleus disintegrating. It will be interesting to follow its progress over the coming days
On Wednesday and Thursday mornings, the waning Crescent Moon will pass by the line of the superior naked-eye planets: Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Look in the southeastern pre-dawn sky
Monday April 13th is the 50th anniversary of those famous words: “Houston, we’ve had a problem…” when an oxygen tank blew two days in to the Apollo 13 mission, threating the lives of the astronauts aboard the spacecraft. Quick thinking, bravery and determination turned the threat of defeat into victory and the crew safely returned to Earth on April 17th
The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Tuesday
There are currently no active regions on the Sun, with the spotless stretch now at 7 days
There are no visible evening ISS passes this week
Week of 6th April
Astronomical twilight ends at 21:51 BST at the start of the week and 22:06 BST at the end
As Orion appears ever closer to the western horizon, it is interesting to note that Betelgeuse is well on its way back to ‘normal’ brightness. Reports now suggest it is at magnitude +0.9. Have a look for yourself before it is too late and see how much brighter it now appears
Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are a treat for the early risers as they appear in a line across the southeastern pre-dawn sky within 15° of eachother
The Moon is waxing and will be Full on Wednesday
There is one active region on the Sun, AR 2759. It is at a high northerly latitude and has reversed magnetic polarity, identifying it as a member of new Solar Cycle 25
Astronomical twilight ends at 21:35 BST at the start of the week and 21:49 BST at the end
On Saturday evening, Venus will appear close to the Pleiades in Taurus, passing within about 15 arcminutes of the open cluster. Venus will be at mag -4.4 while the Pleiades will be at mag +1.3
For the early risers, the three naked eye superior planets, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, make a spectacular sight as they all appear in the sky within 7° of eachother. Look towards the southeast horizon at around 5am. On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, Mars and Saturn will be within 1° of eachother, around this time appearing in conjunction when they share the same right ascension
The Moon is waxing and will be First Quarter on Wednesday
There are no active regions on the Sun, with the current spotless stretch at 19 days
There are multiple evening ISS passes this week:
Monday: 21:32, W to S, max 46°
Tuesday: 20:44, W to ESE, max 61° and 22:21, W to WSW, max 15°
Wednesday: 21:34, W to SSW, max 25°
Thursday: 20:46, W to SSE, max 34°
Friday: 21:37, WSW to SSW, max 12°
Saturday: 20:49, W to S, max 18°
Week of 23rd March
Astronomical twilight ends at 20:21 UT at the start of the week and 21:33 BST at the end
British Summer Time starts on Sunday 29th March, clocks go forward one hour at 1am
Venus is at Greatest Eastern Elongation on Tuesday, when it is at maximum separation from the Sun. It reaches a peak altitude of 41° above the horizon on Friday evening, shining at mag -4.4. Observation of Venus through binoculars or a telescope at this time will show it in dichotomy phase, the equivalent of a Quarter Moon phase
Mercury is at Greatest Western Elongation on Monday, appearing before sunrise in the southeastern morning sky. Unfortunately it will be difficult to spot at only 6° above the horizon. Take care of the rising Sun if you do try to spot it. Mercury will be at aphelion on Friday, the furthest point from the Sun in its orbit
A new comet, C/2019 Y4 (Atlas), was discovered in December last year and is brightening as it approaches the Sun. It is currently at magnitude +8.3, so binoculars are needed to see it. Look above the head of the Bear in Ursa Major. It will reach perihelion on 31st May, so will hopefully become increasingly bright through the spring. For full details about this comet, visit theskylive.com and search for ATLAS
The New Moon is on Tuesday
There are no active regions on the Sun, with the current spotless stretch at 11 days
There are multiple evening ISS passes this week:
Monday: 19:36, WSW to E, max 55° and 21:13, W, max 27°
Tuesday: 20:25, W to ENE, max 88°
Wednesday: 19:38, WSW to E, max 84° and 21:15, W, max 30°
Thursday: 20:27, W to E, max 86°
Friday: 19:40, W to E, max 84° and 21:17, W, max 29°
Saturday: 20:29, W to SE, max 76°
Sunday: 20:42, W to E, max 87° and 22:19, W to WSW, max 24°
Week of 16th March
Astronomical twilight ends at 20:07 UT at the start of the week and 20:19 UT at the end
The Vernal Equinox is on Friday and marks the first day of spring here in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the point when the Sun, travelling along the ecliptic, crosses the celestial equator, heading North and has a Right Ascension of 00 hours and a Declination of 0°. It is also known as the First Point of Aries; however, due to Earth’s precession, the Sun is no longer in Aries at this time, but is in Pisces – apologies to all those who swear by their daily horoscope!
The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Monday
There are no active regions on the Sun, with the current spotless stretch at 5 days
There are multiple evening ISS passes this week:
Thursday: 19:33, S to SSE, max 15°
Friday: 20:21, SW to SSW, max 30°
Saturday: 19:33, SSW to ESE, max 30° and 21:10, WSW, max 19°
Sunday: 20:22, WSW to SSE, max 69°
Week of 9th March
Astronomical twilight ends at 19:53 UT at the start of the week and 20:05 UT at the end
Venus continues to appear high in the southwest evening sky at magnitude -4. It will be about 2° from Uranus (mag +6, binoculars required) at the start of the week
The Moon is waxing and will be Full on Monday
Breaking a string of 34 spotless days, a new sunspot is emerging in the Sun’s southern hemisphere. The high latitude and magnetic polarity of this sunspot identify it as a likely member of new Solar Cycle 25
There are no visible evening ISS passes this week
Week of 2nd March
Astronomical twilight ends at 19:41 UT at the start of the week and 19:52 UT at the end
Comet C/2017 T2 (PANSTARRS) is currently visible through a telescope at magnitude +9 in Cassiopeia
Venus is high in the southwest evening sky
The Moon is waxing and will be at First Quarter on Monday
The Sun has no visible active regions, current spotless stretch is 28 days
Astronomical twilight ends at 19:29 UT at the start of the week and 19:39 UT at the end
Venus is ever higher in the southwest evening sky
The waxing Crescent Moon will pass by Venus in the evening, appearing closest on Thursday when they will be about 6° apart. Look towards the southwest horizon to spot this appulse
Reports suggest that Betelgeuse has stopped dimming and could be increasing in magnitude again. Get out, have a look and see what you think
Star Count 2020 is running from the 21st to 28th February. It is a ‘Citizen Science’ project to assess light pollution levels across the country. Count the number of stars you can see by naked eye within the ‘four corners’ of Orion and report your observation online. Search ‘Star Count 2020’ for full details
The Moon is waxing and will be at First Quarter next week
The Sun has no visible active regions, current spotless stretch is 21 days
There are no visible evening ISS passes this week
Week of 17th February
Astronomical twilight ends at 19:17 UT at the start of the week and 19:27 UT at the end
Venus continues to dominate the southwest evening sky
For the early risers, the waning Crescent Moon will appear close to Mars on Tuesday, Jupiter on Wednesday and Saturn on Thursday. Look in the southeast at around 6 am
The Moon will be New on Sunday
The Sun has no visible active regions, current spotless stretch is 14 days
There are no visible evening ISS passes this week
Week of 10th February
Astronomical twilight ends at 19:05 UT at the start of the week and 19:15 UT at the end
The Moon reaches perigee (closest point to Earth) on Monday; it is waning and will be Last Quarter on Saturday
Venus, the ‘Evening Star’, is bright (mag -4) and clear to spot in the southwest evening sky
Mercury (mag -0.5) will be at Greatest Eastern Elongation on Monday, placing it perfectly for a rare sighting. It will be at its highest point in the sky on Friday, when it reaches a peak altitude of 15° above the horizon. Look in the southwest just after sunset (take care as Mercury is still within 20° of the Sun)
Neptune is also in the southwestern evening sky, though at magnitude +8 will require binoculars to be seen. It is in close conjunction (about 2 arcminutes) with the star Phi Aquarii and comes to about 5° of Mercury
Keep observing Betelgeuse, which is at its dimmest since records began, currently at about magnitude +1.7. February 21st is a key date as this is when the star’s variable periods are predicted to turn and it should start to brighten again
The Sun is currently spotless
There are no visible ISS passes this week
Week of 3rd February
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:54 UT at the start of the week and 19:04 UT at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be Full on Sunday
Venus is climbing ever higher in the southwest evening sky
Mercury is starting to become visible in the evening sky, look low on the southwestern horizon just after sunset (take care as Mercury is still within 20° of the Sun)
The Sun has one current active region (AR 2757), which is departing around the western limb
The ISS makes visible evening passes this week as follows:
Monday: 18:31, W to E, max 87° & 19:08, W to S, max 34°
Tuesday: 18:21, W to SE, max 46° & 19:59, WSW to SW, max 12°
Wednesday: 17:33, W to ESE, max 60° & 19:10, W to S, max 17°
Thursday: 18:22, W to SSE, max 24°
Saturday: 18:25, WSW to SSW, max 12°
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:44 UT at the start of the week and 18:53 UT at the end
There is an unusual conjunction of Neptune (mag +8) and Venus (mag -4) on Monday evening. Look low in the southwest sky between 17:00 and 19:30 UT to see the two planets just 4 arcminutes apart. You will need to use a pair of binoculars or a telescope to observe the conjunction. On Tuesday evening, the Crescent Moon comes within 4 degrees of the pair, making an interesting combination to look out for
The Moon is waxing and will be First Quarter on Sunday
Look to the southwest just after sunset to see Venus dominate the twilight sky at mag -4.0
The Sun has one Cycle 24 active region near the equator (AR 2757). A region of interest belonging to Cycle 25 is developing high in latitude around the southeast limb
There are multiple visible evening ISS passes this week as follows:
Monday: 18:14, WSW to E, max 72°
Tuesday: 17:26, WSW to E, max 57° & 19:03, W to WNW, max 70°
Wednesday: 18:16, W to E, max 87° & 19:52, W, max 20°
Thursday: 17:28, WSW to E, max 85° & 19:05, W, max 73°
Friday: 18:17, W to E, max 86° & 19:54, W, max 20°
Saturday: 17:30, W to E, max 84° & 19:07, W to SSW, max 60°
Sunday: 18:19, W to ESE, max 75° & 19:56, W to WSW, max 18°
Week of 20th January
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:34 UT at the start of the week and 18:42 UT at the end
Betelgeuse continues to appear dimmer than its normal magnitude of +0.5. Compare with Rigel (+0.3) and Bellatrix (+1.6). The lower brightness is only in the visible wavelengths, in infrared it continues to shine as brightly as ever
The Moon is waning and will be New on Friday
Venus continues to dominate the western evening twilight sky at mag -4.0
The Sun has no spots, with a current spotless stretch of 7 days
There are multiple early evening ISS passes this week as follows:
Wednesday: 18:59, SW to S, max 25°
Thursday: 18:11, SSW to ESE, max 23°
Friday: 17:24, S to E, max 16° & 18:59, WSW to SSW, max 47°
Saturday: 18:11, SW to E, max 42°
Sunday: 17:23, SSW to E, max 31° & 18:59, WSW, max 70°
Week of 13th January
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:25 UT at the start of the week and 18:32 UT at the end
Betelgeuse, the red giant star at Orion’s left shoulder, has dimmed significantly since the autumn. Normally it shines at magnitude +0.4, but it is currently at mag +1.4, about two and a half times dimmer. Compare its brightness with the star at Orion’s right heel, Rigel, which is mag +0.3 and the difference is very clear. Many theories about what is causing the change abound, but the most widely accepted is that Betelgeuse, as a variable star, is experiencing a period of swelling, which leads to its luminosity being spread across a larger surface area, therefore appearing dimmer to us
The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Friday
Venus continues to dominate the evening twilight sky at mag -4.0
The Sun is currently spotless again after a recent period of increased activity
There are no evening ISS passes this week
Week of 6th January 2020
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:17 UT at the start of the week and 18:23 UT at the end
Watch The Sky at Night at 10pm on BBC4 next Sunday (12th) to see CEB and observing on the College playing fields feature
There is a penumbral Lunar eclipse on Friday 10th as the Full Moon passes through the faint outer edge of the Earth’s shadow (the penumbra). Maximum eclipse occurs at 19:11. It will not be very obvious to the naked eye, but comparative photos will show the difference
The Moon is waxing and will be Full on Friday
Venus continues to dominate the evening twilight sky
The Sun has one, reversed polarity, Cycle 25, active region (AR2755)
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:10 UT at the start of the week and 18:14 UT at the end
The Quadrantids meteor shower peaks on Saturday morning, with best viewing once the Moon has set in the early hours. Meteors are already appearing and will be building in number during the week, though only reach good numbers in the hours leading up to the sharp peak. The shower is potentially one of the best in the year with fast meteors being seen at rates of one a minute or more. The radiant is at high declination, above the end of the ‘saucepan’s’ handle. It now lies in the constellation Bootes (originally it was in the, now declassified, constellation of Quadrans Muralis, Mural Quadrant). The parent body was identified in 2003 as asteroid 2003EH1
The Earth reaches its closest point to the Sun (Perihelion) just before 8am next Sunday
The Moon is waxing and will be First Quarter on Friday
Venus continues to dominate the evening twilight sky with the waxing Moon
The Sun is blank again after 2 sunspots from the new Cycle 25 briefly appeared on Christmas Eve
There are no ISS passes this week
Week of 23rd December
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:05 UT at the start of the week and 18:10 UT at the end.
The Moon is waning and will be New on Thursday
Venus continues bright in the evening twilight sky and is nearly (-4 magnitude). Look towards the southwest horizon between 16:00 and 17:30 UT
The Sun is still blank – current stretch 39 days
There are no ISS passes this week
Week of 16th December
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:02 UT on Monday 16th and 18:05 UT on Sunday 22nd
The Winter Solstice occurs on Sunday 22nd when the Sun’s path reaches its lowest point in the sky. The noon Sun will reach a maximum altitude of 15 degrees. Sunrise and sunset occur at their most southerly extremes and it is the shortest day of the year, with the Sun above the horizon for only 7 hours 51 minutes.
Venus continues to appear bright in the evening sky. Look towards the southwest horizon between 16:00 and 17:30 UT
The Moon is Last Quarter on Thursday 19th
The Sun is still blank – current stretch 32 days
The ISS makes one visible pass this week:
Saturday – 06:55:34, S to ESE, max 14 degrees
Week of 9th December
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:01 UT on Monday 9th and 18:02 UT on Sunday 15th
Venus is bright in the evening sky at mag -4.0 and passes by Saturn (mag +0.6) through the week, with closest conjunction on Wednesday 11th when it comes to within 2 degrees. Look in the southwest at around 16:00 to 17:00 UT
Geminid meteor shower is active from 4th to 17th December, with its peak at 01:00 UT on Saturday 14th. Meteors appear to originate from the constellation Gemini, but are best observed by looking away from the radiant. They are caused by the Earth hitting a stream of debris left by asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Peak hourly rate can be as high as 120 meteors, but the bright Moon present this year will reduce visibility to only the brightest
The Moon is Full on Thursday 12th
The Sun is still blank and has been for the past 24 days, giving 261 spotless days so far this year
The ISS makes several visible passes this week:
Monday – 16:35:41, W to ESE, max 57 degrees and 18:13:02, W to S, max 16 degrees
Tuesday – 17:24:13, W to SSE, max 23 degrees
Wednesday – 16:35:33, W to SE, max 33 degrees
Thursday – 17:25:03, WSW to SSW, max 12 degrees
Friday – 16:35:44, W to S, max 17 degrees
Week of 2nd December
Look out for bright Venus (mag -3.9) along with Jupiter (-1.8) and Saturn (+0.6) in the southwest at dusk around 4pm, while Mars and Mercury will be visible in the southeast just before dawn at around 6am
Astronomical twilight ends at 18:03 UT on Monday 2nd and 18:02 UT on Sunday 8th
The Moon is at First Quarter on Wednesday 4th
The Sun is still blank
The ISS makes multiple passes this week as follows:
Monday – 17:24:40, W to E, max 85 degrees
Tuesday – 16:36:12, W to E, max 88 degrees and 18:12:58, W to S, max 83 degrees
Wednesday – 17:24:27, W to E, max 88 degrees
Thursday – 16:35:57, W to E, max 84 degrees and 18:12:42, W to S, max 55 degrees
Friday – 17:24:10, W to ESE, max 71 degrees
Saturday – 16:35:38, W to ESE, max 84 degrees and 18:12:30, W to S, max 31 degrees
Sunday – 17:23:52, W to SE, max 43 degrees
Week of 25th November
Astronomical twilight ends at 18.06 UT at the start of the week and 18.03 UT at the end
The Moon is New on Tuesday and waxing to a crescent by the end of the week
The Sun is still blank – 2019 has seen 252 spotless days so far
There are multiple ISS passes this week as follows: On Monday at 18.13.53 from SW to SSE reaching 38 degrees, Tuesday at 17.28.43 from SSW to ESE to 28 degrees, Wednesday at 18:13:26 from WSW to SSE to 66 degrees, Thursday at 17:25:06 from SW to E to 51 degrees, Friday at 16:36:51 from SW to E to 37 degrees and at 18:13:11 from W to E to 89 degrees, Saturday at 17:24:43 from WSW to E to 79 degrees and on Sunday at 16.36.18 from WSW to E to 64 degrees and at 18.12.59 from W to N to 84 degrees
Week of 18th November
Astronomical twilight ends at 18.11 UT at the start of the week and 18.05 UT at the end
The Moon is Last Quarter on Monday and then wanes to New at the start of next week
The Sun is again blank
The ISS returns this week with passes as follows: On Friday at 19.02.41 from SSW to SSW reaching 11 degrees. Saturday 18.14.47 from SSW to SSE to 19 degrees and Sunday 17.27.14 from S to ESE and 19.02.04 from SW to SW to 24 degrees
Week of 11th November
Astronomical twilight ends at 18.19 UT at the start of the week and 18.11 UT at the end
The Moon is Full (Frost Moon) on Monday
The planet Mercury reaches Inferior Conjunction at 3pm on Monday. The resultant transit, last seen in 2016, won’t happen again till November 2032. 1st contact should be soon after 12.31pm at about ‘8.45’ on the solar disc (ie Eastern limb) The Sun will be high in the Southern sky (Azi 192.5 degrees and Alt 20.25 degrees) The planet will then cross the disc, nearly centrally, and will be viewed until sunset (just after 4pm), though will be below 10 degrees by 2.50pm. The black dot is tiny and is not visible except through a small telescope. WARNING !!It is totally unsafe to view the Transit unless professional Solar filters are in use !!(projection will not show a large enough image)
The Sun is blank
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
Week of 4th November
Astronomical twilight ends at 18.30 UT at the start of the week and 18.20 UT at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be Full (Frost Moon) at the start of next week
Next Monday (11th) see the next Transit of the planet Mercury. Last seen in 2016, this won’t happen again till November 2032. 1st contact should be soon after 12.31pm at about ‘8.45’ on the solar disc (ie Eastern limb) The Sun will be high in the Southern sky (Azi 192.5 degrees and Alt 20.25 degrees) The planet will then cross the disc, nearly centrally, and will be viewed until sunset (just after 4pm), though will be below 10 degrees by 2.50pm. The black dot is tiny and is not visible except through a small telescope. WARNING !!It is totally unsafe to view the Transit unless professional Solar filters are in use !!(projection will not show a large enough image). Mercury will be at Inferior Conjunction at 15 UT
The Sun is basically blank with an old cycle spot 2751
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
Week of 28th October
British Summer Time (BST) has ended we are now on Universal Time (UT) till the Spring
Astronomical twilight ends at 18.40 UT at the start of the week and 18.30 UT at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be First Quarter at the start of next week
The Sun is blank again. Now we are at deep Solar minimum the Cosmic Ray count is at an all time high (highest for nearly 50 years)
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
Week of 21st October
British Summer Time (BST) ends next-week end in the early hours of Sunday morning. The clocks go back 1 hour to Universal Time (UT). We will enjoy lighter mornings for a while
Astronomical twilight ends at 19.53 BST at the start of the week and 18.40 UT at the end
The Moon is waning and will be New at the start of next week
The Orionids meteor shower peaks at the start of the week. The waning Moon will interfere with the best early morning meteors. Pre dawn on Tuesday should be the peak of these fast meteors
The debris is left over from passes of Halley’s comet
The Sun is blank again
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
Week of 14th October
Astronomical twilight ends at 20.07 BST at the start of the week and 19.53 BST at the end
The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Monday
The Sun is blank again
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
Week of 7th October
Astronomical twilight ends at 20.23 BST at the start of the week and 20.07 BST at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be Full (Hunters Moon) on Sunday
The Sun is blank again, having had a small old cycle 24 spot last week. There are already reversed polarity active regions being detected so we can expect a cycle 25 spot soon
The ISS makes its last 2 passes for sometime: Monday 20.32.04 W to SSE to 27 degrees and Wednesday 20.32.22 WSW to S to 14 degrees
Week of 30th September
Astronomical twilight ends at 20.39 BST at the start of the week and 20.23 BST at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be First Quarter on Saturday
Saturn is in Conjunction with the Moon, less than 1 degree to north at 9pm on Saturday
The Sun is totally blank again, so far 26 days on end
The ISS makes further good evening passes as follows: Monday 21.21.21 from W to ESE reaching 87 degrees and 22.58.11 W to W to 13 degrees. Tuesday 20.32.49 W to E to 85 degrees and 22.09.35 W to WSW to 36 degrees. Wednesday 21.21.01 W to SE to 62 degrees. Thursday 20.32.27 W to ESE to 77 degrees and 22.09.25 W to WSW to 23 degrees. Friday 21.21.42 W to SSE to 36 degrees. Saturday 29.32.05 W to SE to 49 degrees and 22.09.49 WSW to SW to 13 degrees and Sunday 21.21.38 W to S to 19 degrees
Week of 16th September
Astronomical twilight ends at 21.15 BST at the start of the week and 20.57 BST at the end
The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Sunday
The Sun is totally blank again
The ISS returns this week making evening passes as follows: Thursday at 22.11.44 from SSW to SSW reaching 13 degrees. Friday 21.23.54 from S to SE to 18 degrees an 22.59.12 WSW to WSW to 10 degrees. Saturday 22.20.50 SW to SSW to 34 degrees and Sunday 21.22.35 SW to ESE to 33 degrees and 22.58.49 W to W to 17 degrees
Week of 9th September
Astronomical twilight ends at 21.35 BST at the start of the week and 21.18 BST at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be Full (Harvest Moon) on Saturday
The Sun is totally blank again
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
Week of 2nd September
Astronomical twilight ends at 2059 BST at the start of the week and 2035 BST at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be First Quarter on Friday
>The Sun is totally blank again
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
Week of 26th August
Astronomical twilight ends at 2017 BST at the start of the week and 1958 BST at the end
The Moon is waning and will be New on Friday
The Sun is totally blank again
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
Week of 12th August
Astronomical twilight ends at 2303 BST at the start of the week and 2242 BST at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be Full on Thursday
The Perseids meteor shower (aka Tears of St Lawrence, first seen in 36AD) peaks in the early hours of 13th August but, due to the nearly Full Moon, only the brightest will be seen, reducing the normally high hourly rate. Luckily, perhaps due to the large size of the parent Comet (Swift-Tuttle) nucleus, the shower is often full of bright fireballs (more than any other shower). It is worth watching out on Monday and Tuesday (look NE after 10.30pm, when the sky is dark enough and the Radiant in Perseus is high) when the Moon is less evident
The Sun is totally blank again
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
Week of 5th August
Astronomical twilight ends at 2328 BST at the start of the week and 2303 BST at the end
The Moon will wax and will be First Quarter on Wednesday
The Perseids meteor shower (aka Tears of St Lawrence, first seen in 36AD) peaks in the early hours of 13th August but, due to the nearly Full Moon, only the brightest will be seen, reducing the normally high hourly rate. Luckily, perhaps due to the large size of the parent Comet (Swift-Tuttle) nucleus, the shower is often full of bright fireballs (more than any other shower). It is worth watching out all this week (look NE after 10.30pm, when the sky is dark enough and the Radiant in Perseus is high) when the Moon is less evident
The Sun is totally blank again
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
Week of 29th July
Astronomical twilight ends at 0002 BST at the start of the week and 2350 BST at the end
The Moon is waning and will be New on Thursday
The Sun is totally blank again
The ISS makes its last passes for a while: On Monday at 23.39.58 from W to SSE reaching 41 degrees. Tuesday 22.50.35 W to ESE to 56 degrees. Wednesday 23.38.13 W to S to 23 degrees. Thursday 22.48.41 W to SE to 32 degrees. Friday 23.37.15 WSW to SSW to 12 degrees and Saturday 22.47.03 W to S to 18 degrees
Week of 22nd July
Astronomical darkness returns on Sunday 21st July from 0048 BST. At the end of the week it will be dark at 0002 BST
The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Thursday
The Sun is totally blank again
There ISS makes super late evening ISS passes: Monday at 22.58.23 from WSW to E reaching 69 degrees. Tuesday 23.45.43 W to E to 84 degrees. Wednesday 22.56.21 W to E to 89 degrees. Thursday 23.43.43 W to E through the Zenith at 90 degrees. Friday 22.54.20 W to E to 84 degrees. Saturday 23.41.39 W to ESE to 68 degrees and Sunday 22.52.16 W to ESE to 83 degrees
Week of 15th July
Astronomical darkness returns on Sunday 21st July from 0048 BST,li>The Moon is waxing and will be Full (Thunder Moon) on Tuesday. The Moon will rise partially eclipsed by the Earth’s shadow at 21.40 BST following Saturn in SE. It will be darkest at 22.30 BST and will return to full brightness at midnight
The Sun is totally blank again
There ISS returns with late evening ISS passes: Monday at 23.57.57 from ESE to E reaching 16 degrees altitude. Tuesday 23.06.33 SSE to ESE to 12 degrees. Wednesday 23.51.38 SW to E to 33 degrees. Thursday 23.02.42 SSW to E to 23 degrees. Friday 23.49.07 WSW to E to 57 degrees. Saturday 22.59.52 SW to E to 42 degrees and Sunday 23.46.49 WSW to E to 83 degrees
Week of 8th July
Astronomical darkness does not return till 21st July
The Moon is waxing and will be First on Tuesday
The Sun has a small emerging spot. The reversed magnetic polarity sigals it out as belonging to the new Cycle 25
There ISS returns with late evening ISS passes from 15th
Week of 1st July
Astronomical darkness does not return till 21st July
The Moon is waning and will be New on Tuesday, when there is a Total Solar Eclipse (visible from Chile and Argentina)
Saturn reaches Opposition next week, but is low in the sky
The Sun remains blank
There are no evening ISS passes this week
Week of June 24th
Astronomical darkness does not return till 21st July
We are now in the second quarter of the Astronomical Year and the Sun has just moved into Gemini
The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Tuesday
The Sun has been totally blank for 34 days and is now in deep miminum
Noctilucent Clouds (NLC): These iridescent electric blue tendrils are particularly seen close to the Solstice and are now thought to be formed by ice crystal collecting on ionisation trails left by meteoroids at high altitude (80km). NLCs are being seen at lower latitudes (even being seen in Rome). It is worth looking out 30 to 60 minutes after sunset in the North, if the sky is clear
There are no ISS passes this week
Week of June 17th
Astronomical darkness does not return till 21st July
The Summer Solstice falls on Friday, when the Sun culminates at its highest altitude at Noon (62.5 degrees). The Sun rises and sets at its furthest north points on the horizons, giving the longest hours of daylight
The Moon is Full (Solstice moon) on Monday
The Sun is totally blank again
2019 is turning out to be excellent for Noctilucent Clouds (NLC). These iridescent electric blue whisps are particularly seen over the Solstices and are now thought to be formed by meteor trails at high altitude. NLCs are being seen at lower latitudes. It is worth looking out 30 to 60 minutes after sunset in the west on a clear night
There are no ISS passes this week
Week of May 27th
Astronomical darkness returns on 21st July
The Moon is waning and will be New at the start of next week
The Sun is totally blank again
The ISS makes its last passes for a while: Monday at 23.22.16 from W to ESE reaching 85 degrees. Wednesday at 23.20.00 from W to ESE. Friday 23.17.45 from W to SE and Sunday at 23.15.44 from W to S to 19 degrees
Week of May 20th
Astronomical twilight ends at 00.25 BST at the start of the week. From Wednesday, Nautical twilight does not end till 21st July, as the Sun is never far enough below the Northern horizon
The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Sunday. The Moon and Jupiter will be in close Conjunction on 20th. Jupiter is approaching Opposition on 10th June
The Sun is basically blank again as 2741 disappears over the Western limb
The ISS makes good late passes: Monday at 22.46.35 from SSW to E reaching 30 degrees altitude. Tuesday at 22.31.39 from WSW to E to 68 degrees. Wednesday 22.40.50 SW to E to 51 degrees. Thursday 23.26.17 from W to E to 89 degrees and Saturday 23.20.54 from W to E to 84 degrees
Week of May 13th
Astronomical twilight ends at 23.45 BST at the start of the week and 00.25 BST at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be Full (Flower Moon) on Saturday. The Moon approaches Jupiter from the West during the week and they will be in close Conjunction on 20th
The Sun is still slightly active again with spot 2741 and decaying 2740
The ISS returns later this week with late evening passes: Friday at 23.42.42 from SSW to SSE reaching 10 degrees altitude. Saturday at 22.52.30 from S to E to 17 degrees and Sunday at 23.36.44 from SW to E reaching 42 degrees
Week of May 6th
Astronomical twilight ends at 23.16 BST at the start of the week and 23.45 BST at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be NeFirst Quarter on Saturday
The Sun is active again with spot 2740 (returning active spot 2738) on its Eastern limb
There are no ISS passes this week
Week of April 29th
Astronomical twilight ends at 22.52 BST at the start of the week and 23.12 BST at the end
The Moon is waning and will be New on Saturday
The Sun is blank again
There are no ISS passes this week
Week of April 22nd
Astronomical twilight ends at 21.31 BST at the start of the week and 22.49 BST at the end
The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Friday
The Sun is blank again
There are no ISS passes this week
Week of April 15th
Astronomical twilight ends at 21.12 BST at the start of the week and 22.31 BST at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be Full (Paschal Moon) on Friday, so that Easter Sunday can follow on 21st
The Sun is active again with an Earth facing sunspot 2738. This single huge spot (3 x Earth size) is beginning to break apart. This may herald more activity
As Mars disappears in the west, Jupiter will soon be an evening object in the East; currenly rising at 00.30 BST
There are no ISS passes this week
Week of April 8th
Astronomical twilight ends at 21.54 BST at the start of the week and 22.12 BST at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be First Quarter on Friday
The Sun is blank but a new spot group is emerging on the Eastern limb
The ISS has made its last passes fro a few weeks
Week of April 1st
Astronomical twilight ends at 21.36 BST at the start of the week and 21.52 BST at the end
The Moon is waning and will be New on Friday
The Sun is completely blank
The ISS makes final passes this week: Monday at 21.47.05 from W to ESE reaching 81 degrees altitude and 23.23.50 from W to WSW to 20 degrees. Tuesday 22.33.00 from W to S reaching 40 degrees. Wednesday at 21.42.14 fro W to SE to 55 degrees and 23.19.32 WSW to WSW to 14 degrees. Friday 22.28.22 W to S to 23 degrees. Saturday 21.37.25 W to SE to 33 degrees and Sunday 22.24.21 WSW to SSW to 12 degrees
Week of March 25th
Astronomical twilight ends at 20.23 UT at the start of the week and 21.36 BST at the end
The clocks go forward by one hour next Saturday night to British Summer Time or UT+1
The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Thursday
The Sun is becomming quiet again after spot 2736 disappears
The ISS makes good passes this week: Monday at 19.15.50 from SW to E reaching 35 degrees altitude and 20.52.00 W to W to 45 degrees. Tuesday 20.01.21 WSW to E to 76 degrees and 21.37.57 W to W to 16 degrees. Wednesday 19.10.44 WSW to E to 59 degrees and 20.47.15 W to WSW to 69 degrees. Thursday 19.56.32 W to E to 87 degrees and 21.33.09 W to W to 21 degrees. Friday 19.05.50 WSW to E to 84 degrees and 20.42.27 W to WSW to 86 degrees. Saturday 19.51.44 W to E to 85 degrees and 21.28.21 W to W to 22 degrees and Sunday at 22.37.36 from W to S reaching 65 degrees
Week of March 18th
Astronomical twilight ends at 20.09 UT at the start of the week and 20.21 UT at the end
The Vernal Equinox falls this year on Thursday 21st. This is the start of the Astronomical Year. The Sun rises due East and sets due West and we have equal day and night. From now the Northern Summer season begins. The Sun is at 0h RA and 0 degrees Declination, known as the First Point of Aries, due to precession of the Earth’s axis, the Sun is now in front of the constellation of Pisces. At noon on 21st the Sun will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer, where, at noon, there will be no shadow. At any other latitude on Earth the shadow length at noon gives an estimate for the curvature and hence the circumference of the Earth. This year an International experimental repeat of Eratosthenes’ original expriment will be carried out and the College has been invited to take part
The Moon is waxing and will be Full (Spring Moon) on Thursday
The Sun is completely blank again though there is Geomagnetic activity (often seen near the Equinoxes)
The ISS returns on Friday with low passes: Friday 20.11.48 from SSW to S reaching 23 degrees. Saturday 19.21.21 SSW to ESE to 20 degrees and 20.56.44 WSW to WSW to 22 degrees and Sunday at 20.05.48 SW to SE to 49 degrees and 21.42.11 W to W to 10 degrees
There are no bright evening Iridium flares this week
Week of March 11th
Astronomical twilight ends at 19.56 UT at the start of the week and 20.07 UT at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be First Quarter on Thursday
The Sun actually had activity last week with spot 2734. This is now fading, though a couple of CMEs were released and may cause minor storms on Monday
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
There are no bright evening Iridium flares this week
Week of March 4th
Astronomical twilight ends at 19.43 UT at the start of the week and 19.56 UT at the end
The Moon is waning and will be New on Wednesday
The Sun remains completely blank
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
There are no bright evening Iridium flares this week
Week of February 25th
Astronomical twilight ends at 19.31 UT at the start of the week and 19.41 UT at the end
The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Tuesday
The Sun remains blank
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
There are no bright evening Iridium flares this week
Week of February 18th
Astronomical twilight ends at 19.19 UT at the start of the week and 19.29 UT at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be Full (Snow Moon) on Tuesday
The Sun remains blank
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
There is one super bright evening Iridium flare on Wednesday at 18.26.45 at 57 degrees in NNE
Week of February 11th
Astronomical twilight ends at 18.56 UT at the start of the week and 19.06 UT at the end
The Moon is waxing from Monday and will be First Quarter on 12th
Take part in the annual star count to build a light pollution map of the UK; see https://www.cpre.org.uk/what-we-do/countryside/dark-skies/star-count-2019
The Sun is blank
The ISS makes its last pass this week: Monday 18.35.00 W to SE reaching 62 degrees altitude and 20.12.01 W to WSW to 12 degrees. Tuesday 17.43.35 W to ESE to 79 degrees and 19.20.19 W to SSW to 27 degrees. Wednesday 18.28.47 W to SE to 39 degrees. Thursday 17.37.18 W to ESE to 54 degrees and 19.14.34 WSW to S to 15 degrees. Friday 18.22.41 W to SSE and Sunday 18.17.12 WSW to SSW to 12 degrees
There is one super bright evening Iridium flare on Wednesday at 17.37.03 at 68 degrees in SSE
Week of January 28th
Astronomical twilight ends at 18.44 UT at the start of the week and 18.55 UT at the end
The Moon is waning and will be New at the start of next week
The Sun has pne active sunspot 2733<br.
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The ISS makes very good passes almost every night this week: On Monday at 18.08.36 from WSW to E reaching 55 degrees altitude and 19.45.01 W to W to 21 degrees. Tuesday at 18.53.37 W to ENE to 89 degrees. Wednesday 18.02.15 WSW to E to 80 degrees and 19.38.48 W to W to 27 degrees. Thursday 18.47.23 W to E to 84 degrees. Friday 17.55.57 W to E to 86 degrees and 19.32.31 W to W to 34 degrees. Saturday 18.41.05 W to ESE to 85 degrees and 20.17.44 W to W to 12 degrees and Sunday 17.49.38 W to E to 86 degrees and 19.26.12 W to WSW to 39 degrees
There is one bright evening Iridium flare on Tuesday at 18.14.44 at 55 degrees in NE
Week of January 21st
Astronomical twilight ends at 18.35 UT at the start of the week and 18.44 UT at the end
The Moon is Full on Monday and a ‘supermoon’ as the press like to call it. In the early hours the Moon will pass through the Earth’s shadow and a Total Eclipse will be visible. The Moon is at perigee, so will be brighter and larger than usual. Sadly the sky is likely to be cloudy. The Moon will then wane to Last Quarter at the start of next week
The Sun is totally blank
The ISS returns to make evening passes this week: Wednesday at 19.12.47 from SSW to SSW reaching 16 degrees altitude. Tuesday 18.22.03 S to SE to 19 degrees and 19.57.19 WSW to WSW to 11 degrees. Wednesday 17.31.51 SSE to ESE to 12 degrees and 19.06.04 SW to SSW to 34 degrees. Thursday 18.14.57 SW to ESE to 33 degrees and 19.50.59 W to W to 16 degrees. Friday 17.24.02 SSW to E to 23 degrees and 18.59.36 WSW to SW to 64 degrees. Saturday 18.08.16 WSW to E to 55 degrees and 19.44.40 W to W to 22 degrees and the best on Sunday at 18.53.13 W to ENE to 89 degrees
There are no bright evening Iridium flares
Week of January 14th
Astronomical twilight ends at 18.26 UT at the start of the week and 18.34 UT at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be Full (Ice Moon) at the start of next week
The Sun is totally blank
Venus and Jupiter make a fine pair in the early morning pre dawn sky (Venus at nearly -4.5 magnitude) and much brighter than Jupiter which is nearer the horizon
The ISS makes no evening passes this week
There are no bright evening Iridium flares
Week of January 7th
Astronomical twilight ends at 18.18 UT at the start of the week and 18.25 UT at the end
The Moon is waxing and will be First Quarter at the start of next week
