As the Red Planet Mars is becoming more prominent in our skies, several missions are making their way across the gulf of space to explore. It’s an exciting time for Martian science! Let’s take a look at how our next door neighbour has captured the imaginations of the human race. Mars in the Solar System …
Spotlight on Jupiter
This month is a great time to see Jupiter in our night skies. Appearing in the south, the largest planet in our solar system is a brilliant sight, whether you’re observing with the naked eye, or following the path of its moons with binoculars! But what is this distant planet really like? A Planetary Goliath …
Spotlight on Venus
As the Earth’s nearest neighbour, Venus is one of the easiest planets to spot in the night sky. Named after the Roman goddess of love, it shines resplendently, often just after sunset or before sunrise. This week, it will be particularly bright, as it reaches its greatest brightness in the dawn sky of the 8th. …
Spotlight on Mercury
The closest planet to the Sun can often seem tricky to observe, but with keen eyes and a clear horizon, you can spot this alien world. Read on to find out more about Mercury, the small, rocky planet skirting the heart of our Solar System. Mercury in History Mercury, so named for the god of …
Conjunctions in Astronomy
This Sunday 26th April, the three-day-old Moon will be in conjunction with the brightest planet, Venus. Conjunctions are a brilliant example of astronomical phenomena you can observe from your back garden with your own two eyes! They occur when astronomical objects appear close to each other in the sky. When these objects are particularly bright, …