Clear Skies in the UK this weekend

[Skywatcher]

Get out and have a look - no moon to block the views - so get out with some binoculars or even the naked eye and take a look.

See if you can see

The plough to the north

The W of cassiopea to the North west - high in the sky

Jupiter to the South/South West - really is very obvious from about 7 pm

See if you can spot the core of the Andromeda galaxy with binos ( looks like a milky smudge)

You can see it here and its relationship to cassiopea



The W of cassiopea is tilted on its side ( rotated anit clockwise of the left of the picture and is made up of the brighter stars - this is more obvious when you are outside as they are much brighter than the stars around them)

[Claire]

What I wouldn't give to be look up and know what I was looking at. So is Jupiter usually the first one you can see. Always really bright, stands out from quite early in the evening? My DH once told me it was and I thought he was teasing me.

[Skywatcher]

Yep , if you are looking directly south you can see it just as the sun begins to set it is that bright. By the time the sun has set it is easily the brightest thing in the sky at the moment by a looong way - if you have binos you can see it is a tiny disc and not a point of light like the stars- It doesn't 'twinkle' either.

[Dawn]

OK if I take Steven outside after dark tonight what can I point out to him with the naked eye? I know the plough and orion but that's it.

And I know that sometimes those flashing red stars are planes.

[Skywatcher]

Jupiter - at about 7.30 - 8.00 just after sundown it will be about a hands bredth (outstretched arm) above the horizon to the south. Text me if you like for confirmation - you may have to find a spot with a good southerly view - the seafront would be perfect of course for you as that is your southerly aspect.

Love looking at planets

[disneymom]

Is anything happening in the skies this weekend ?

[Skywatcher]

Cloud by the look of it I'm afraid to say - may have a small window this evening

[Watchinherskip]

Hey Chris, do you have a European equivalent to the clear skies page? Gives you hour by hour forcast for seeing the heavens given weather (cloud cover, wind, etc) as well as local light pollution.

http://cleardarksky.com/csk/

[Skywatcher]

most uk forecast sites are pretty useless being an Island and being coastal the cloud cover is notoriously difficult to predics the met office is best but far away from perfect

[disneymom]

has anyone seen anything they can identify yet?

it's really hard to see which are which