Observing – Page 46 – Astronomy Now

Once in a Blue Moon? You only have to wait until 31 July

29 July 2015 Ade Ashford

If you are waiting for that ‘Once in a Blue Moon’ opportunity to do something special or unusual, you don’t have too long to wait — according to one definition, the next arrives at 11:43am BST on Friday, 31 July!

See Saturn close to the Moon on the evening of 26 July

26 July 2015 Ade Ashford

Saturn’s summer apparition for 2015 is drawing to a close as the ringed planet is highest in the southern sky before sunset for observers in the British Isles, but it can still be found in the bright evening twilight if you have a convenient guide — like tonight’s gibbous Moon.

Photographing Pluto from the UK

19 July 2015 Ade Ashford

Did you use our observing guide to view or image Pluto? Following New Horizons’ historic flyby, one budding astrophotographer living in a light-polluted UK town fulfils a long-time ambition to capture Pluto for himself.

How to find Pluto around the time of its historic encounter with New Horizons

5 July 2015 Ade Ashford

Dwarf planet Pluto will receive its first robotic emissary from Earth in the form of NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft on 14 July. Since this enigmatic world is also at opposition on 6 July, here’s our guide to finding Pluto with large backyard telescopes.

See Saturn’s close brush with the Moon on 28 June

27 June 2015 Ade Ashford

Some five weeks after opposition, Saturn attains a maximum altitude of just 18 degrees in the south around 10:30pm as seen from the centre of the UK. If you need help finding the ringed planet, the Moon passes conveniently close by on the night of 28 June.

See Earth-crossing asteroid Icarus in closest approach for 75 years

15 June 2015 Ade Ashford

For over half a century, Apollo asteroid 1566 Icarus held the record for the minor planet that passed closest to the Sun. From 16th-22nd June you can see this one-kilometre-wide space rock in backyard telescopes as it makes its closest pass to our planet until 2090.

Watch planets Venus and Jupiter converge in the June evening sky

6 June 2015 Ade Ashford

Planet Venus — the brilliant lantern hanging over the west-northwest horizon at dusk — reaches its greatest elongation from the Sun on June 6th. It’s still a month away from reaching peak brightness, but before then it has a spectacular close conjunction with largest planet Jupiter at the end of June.

Comet Lovejoy’s June swan song through Ursa Minor

3 June 2015 Ade Ashford

A constant feature of spring nights owing to its enviable circumpolar position, Comet Lovejoy still rides high throughout June, yet it’s fading slowly with distance and has to compete with twilight all night for observers in the British Isles — but it has one more conjunction in store for the end of the month.

Saturn’s close encounter with the Moon

31 May 2015 Ade Ashford

If you would like to view ringed planet Saturn at its best but are unsure which ‘star’ you should point your telescope at, no problem — the Moon makes a convenient guide as it brushes close by late into the evening of Monday, June 1st.

See ringed planet Saturn at its best

18 May 2015 Ade Ashford

Often referred to as the Jewel of the Solar System, Saturn reaches opposition on May 23rd and is currently best placed for observation during 2015. Despite the planet’s southerly declination, its glorious ring system is favourably tipped in our direction with the northern hemisphere on show.