Adrian Dening's Stars Over Somerset

Wednesday, 21 December 2022 17:00

Monday 26th December 2022 to Sunday 1st January 2023

I gather that Santa Claus has been exceptionally busy this year delivering all the Christmas presents; so busy in fact that he is going to be very late getting home to the North Pole!

If you go outside early on Boxing Day morning and look towards the west at 6.23am you should be able to see his sleigh shooting across the sky as he heads home. He will take about 5 minutes to pass overhead, before disappearing to the east. The sleigh will look like a star that is moving.

I've mentioned the Clair-Obscur visual effects that occur on the lunar surface before and the evening of Friday 30th is the optimum time to spot the "Lunar X and V". Best to aim for around 9pm, when the Moon will be located towards the south west with Jupiter a little below it and to the right.

The first NASA Artemis un-manned mission returned safely from lunar orbit last week and while you are pointing your telescope at the Moon, to the right of the Lunar X and V is the Sea of Tranquility where Apollo 11 landed back in 1969. The descent stage of the lunar lander and the astronauts' footprints are still there, but they are way too small to be seen from Earth even with the most powerful telescope.

If Father Christmas brought you a new telescope this year and you want to learn how to use it, I am holding another couple of talks at Ham Hill on Friday 27th January and Friday 17th February. Booking is through the www.visitsouthsomerset.com website and the last events sold out very quickly, so I'd advise getting online as soon as possible to guarantee a place.

Screenshots courtesy of Stellarium
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