These are this years highlights to watch out for. You’ll need to come along to the planetarium for the full experience of these and more…
Calendar
Eclipses and meteor showers
22 April – Lyrid Meteor Shower (Peak) Around 15–20 meteors per hour, with occasional bright bursts.
5–6 May – Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower (Peak). Known for fast‑moving meteors. Best seen before dawn.
12 August – Major Solar Eclipse. Around 90% of the Sun will be covered across the UK. Best viewed between 6:15 pm and 8:05 pm (use proper eye protection).
13 August – Perseid Meteor Shower (Peak) Active from 17–24 August. One of the year’s most prolific showers, reaching up to 150 meteors per hour. A new Moon will provide dark skies, making this an excellent year for viewing.
28 August – Deep Partial Lunar Eclipse. Approximately 90% of the Moon will pass into Earth’s shadow. Visible from 3:30 am to 6:15 am. Look low on the south‑west horizon.
2 October – 7 November – Orionid Meteor Shower. Peak activity around 21 October.
13 December – Geminid Meteor Shower (Peak) Famous for bright, colourful meteors and frequent fireballs. One of the strongest showers of the year, with minimal moonlight, giving excellent viewing conditions.
Planetary
January – Jupiter at opposition, bright all night.
4th Oct – Saturn at opposition (closest to Earth) which means it is the best time all year to observe it. Visible all night.
15th August – Venus at greatest elongation. One of the best evening appearances, easily visible with the naked eye after sunset
25th September – Mars forms a striking trio with Castor & Pollux
November: Close pairing of Mars and Jupiter in Leo
Nebulae
Nebulae don’t come and go like meteors or eclipses—the key is to know when their constellations are well placed in the night sky.
Jan – Feb evenings: Orion Nebula (M42) can use binoculars & Horsehead Nebula (B33), will need large telescope. Near Orion constellation
Feb –March evenings Rosetta Nebula (NGC 2237) in the Monoceros region of the Milky Way (telescope).
June-August is when the milky way rises and its Nebula galore! Eagle (M16) & Omega Nebula (M17) (Sagittarius region)
July-Aug Triffid nebula (M20)(binoculars), in southern horizon
Aug-Oct Dumbell Nebula (M27) or also known as the ‘apple core’ – one of the easiest to see.
Sep-Oct: Helix Nebula (NGC7293) 650 light years away in Aquarius constellation
Star Charts
Star charts are correct for certain times each night. As the month goes on, the sky slowly rotates from east to west, so the position in which you see the stars on any one night will be repeated about 6 minutes earlier the next night. This amounts to about 3 hours over the course of a month. Visit In-the-sky.org for interactive star charts.
To use a star chart, hold it with the direction you are facing (north, south, east, west) at the bottom. The stars at the bottom of the chart will now mirror what you can see directly above the horizon in front of you. As you move up the chart, you move higher in the sky, with your zenith (the point directly above you) at the centre of the chart. The top of the chart shows the stars behind you, as if you were to crane your neck backwards and view them upside down! Turn the chart as you view different directions, so that the direction you are facing is always at the bottom (and hence the right way up).
Useful sources for further information include John’s Sky Notes, In-the-sky.org and Stellarium.
