Adrian Dening's Stars Over Somerset

Wednesday, 10 July 2024 17:00

Monday 15th to Sunday 21st July 2024

It would definitely be worth getting up early on the morning of Monday 15th and looking towards the north east from about 3am as there are plenty of things to observe, without even having to turn your head!

The first target to spot would be the Pleiades open cluster of stars. Slightly down and to the right of the Pleiades you will find planet Mars shining at a magnitude of about +1.0 so easy to spot with the naked eye.

If you have brought your telescope outside with you, then just above Mars, Uranus will be visible at a magnitude of +6.0 The two planets are in conjunction this morning, or in other words, the closest they appear to get to each other. If you are using your telescope, please remember to pack it safely away before the Sun rises!

A much easier target is Jupiter, a bit closer to the horizon and to the left of the Pleiades. Below Jupiter, you will find one of the brightest stars in the night sky, Aldebaran.

Sticking with Jupiter, if you take your telescope back out and catch Jupiter just starting to rise above the north east horizon at 2am on Wednesday 17th, it should be possible to observe the shadow of Europa and Io, two of Jupiter's Galilean moons, as they pass in front of the planet. The event will be all over by 2.30am.

Stars and deep sky objects only appear to move because we are moving, but the planets are much closer to us and orbiting around the Sun like us. So if you go outside again at 3am on Sunday 21st, Mars will now appear to be in conjunction with the Pleiades and Uranus will be further away from the red planet to the right.