James has captured a ‘sun dog’ is also known as a ‘parhelion’, which is a bright spot in the sky appearing on either side of the sun. The Sun Dogs are an atmospheric effect and are produced by the refraction of light from hexagonal ice crystals suspended in high cold cirrus and cirrostratus clouds. The crystals act as prisms and as they float down, they refract the sunlight horizontally. The refraction of the light means that sun dogs are coloured red at the side nearest the Sun and change from orange through to blue further from the sun.

A Sun Dog caused by refraction in hexagonal ice crystals in high clouds. 16 Oct 2023.

 

James has taken a photo of stars using a longer exposure time to create star trails caused by the Earth’s rotation. The colours are particularly interesting and these reflect the  temperature of the stars. James has identified Uranus and Jupiter as well as the open star cluster the Pleiades (Messier 45) in the constellation Taurus. James has also identified red stars in the constellation Aries.

Colour star trails, includes Uranus and 2 identified “red” stars.

VLF SID reports by the Radio Astronomy section of the BAA have been published for August. Please see the Radio Astronomy section of our website to read the report.

Information about the RA group is available from the BAA website at https://britastro.org/sections/radio-astronomy

Excerpt: “The strong solar activity in July continued into early August, but then faded away by mid-month. We recorded 68 classified flares in August, compared with 150 in July. There were however two X-class flares recorded, although they were rather late in the evening for the European signals. The background X-ray flux shown in the satellite data was also fairly high, so many of the smaller C-class flares were missed. Many of the stronger flares were also multiple-peaked again, giving plenty of unclassified SIDs.”

The evenings get dark pretty early and, as British Summer Time ends on the 29^th, it will be dark early by the end of the month.  This gives plenty of time for observing, provided the weather cooperates.

Planets:

Mercury:  Mercury is still a morning object at the start of the month, but will be lost in twilight by the end of the first week.  It has a more northerly declination and so may be visible if you have a clear eastern horizon before dawn. The elongation on the 3^rd is 13° and the phase around 86%.  The angular diameter is small, at around 5.5 arcsec and so it is not an easy object.

Venus:  Venus is now an easy morning object. It reaches greatest western elongation of 46° on the 23^rd and is well placed.  It remains very bright, with a magnitude of -4.6 at the start of the month, but decreasing a little as it moves away from Earth.  The phase therefore increases from 41% at the start of the month to 54% by the end.

Mars: As it approaches conjunction in November, Mars is now lost in the twilight

Jupiter  reaches opposition next month and starts October by rising around 8 pm BST. By the end of the month it is visible for most of the night and will be a prominent object in the south-east.  I urge you to train your telescopes on it.  Look out for the 4 Galilean moons. Various websites will help you to identify them, www.shallowsky.com is worth using as it also shows the position of the Great Red Spot (GRS) and when it is visible.

Saturn reached opposition at the end of August and is visible for much of the night.  It is low in the sky, but is well worth viewing.  The rings are at a shallow angle and it is a beautiful sight if you have a clear evening and a clear southern horizon.  There is an interactive map of the moons available at skyandtelescope.org

Uranus is not far from Jupiter (in the sky – not in reality!) and so is becoming easier to find. It reaches opposition next month on the 13^th.  I will send out instructions to find it with the November sky notes.  If anyone wants details before them, please email Neil at coord@cotswoldas.org.uk

Neptune reaches opposition on the 19^th and so is well placed.  Contact your Coordinator if you want ephemeris to find it.

The Sun

Solar activity is still increasing and solar observations are a good idea.  Take great care to never look directly at the Sun, or directly through an optical instrument.

Ensure a proper filter is in place or project the image onto card. 

Aurora Borealis:  Increasing solar activity increases the chance of seeing an aurora.  There are a number of Apps that can give you warnings and chances of seeing Aurorae.  Mine is called Aurora Pro.

Eclipses:

There is an Annular Solar Eclipse on the 14^th October which crosses Western USA, Central and parts of South America.  Nothing is visible from the UK

Partial Lunar Eclipse:  This occurs on the 28^th October:  Details are as follows:

P1 (Moon enters Penumbra) :            18:02 UT (19:02 BST)

U1 (Moon enters Umbra) :                  19:35 UT (20:35 BST)

U4 (Moon leaves the Umbra):            20:52 UT (21:52 BST)

P4 (Moon leaves Penumbra):             22:26 UT (23:26 BST)

At maximum, about 12% of the Moon is in the Umbra

Meteor Showers:  The Orionid meteor shower lasts throughout the month, but reaches a maximum on the  21^st-22^nd October. The ZHR (Zenith Hourly Rate) is around 20. The meteors are fast moving, but can leave persistent trails.  This shower is favourable as the Moon is not a major problem, reaching first quarter around then.

Moon

6^th October:  Moon is at last quarter             14^th October:  New Moon

22^nd October:  Moon is at First Quarter        28^th October:  Full Moon     

To view this post in PDF format please CLICK HERE

By James Weightman

Out early this morning to see old crescent moon together with Venus in the dawn sky. No sign of comet.

Weekly Meetings Every Thursday

In order to introduce a more frequent open opportunity for members to meet on a social basis, the society has arranged to use as a venue The Bell Inn, on the Shurdington Road (NOT the Bell Inn in Cheltenham!). It is under new management, has been redecorated and they have a new menu starting on 1st October.

The bar staff will direct you to where we are seated, but look out for the sign on the table if you don’t recognise anyone.

The Radio Astronomy sub-group will meet on these days also, but if you have no interest in this aspect you can still attend and carry on your own discussions in whatever area of astronomy interests you.

The meeting are to take place at 6pm but this is flexible. If you want to arrive earlier or later that’s no problem.

The pub does serve food and Thursdays just so happen to be their curry night!

Members and their guests are welcome to come along and meet informally, with no set agenda. 

By making a meeting available every week it makes it easier to attend one or more each month, in addition to the normal monthly meetings and monthly telescope workshops.

 

The nights are drawing in fast now and if the cloud ever breaks you should get some observing done!

Planets: 

Mercury:  Mercury reaches greatest Western elongation of 18° on the 22^nd and so is a morning object.  It has a more northerly declination and so may be visible if you have a clear eastern horizon before dawn.

Venus:  Venus is now an easy morning object. It starts the month as a thin crescent (about 15%), but increases to a thick crescent (35%) by the end of the month, by which time it will have an elongation of 43° and very well placed.

 Mars is still technically visible in the evening sky, but is very difficult as it sets soon after the Sun.  It approaches conjunction in November.  On the 16^th Mars passes 0.7° south of the Moon.

Jupiter is now rising around 9 pm by the middle of the month and 8 pm by the end. It is very bright low in the south east by late evening. 

Saturn reached opposition at the end of August and is visible all night.  It is low in the sky, but is well worth viewing.  The rings are at a shallow angle. 

Uranus is not far from Jupiter (in the sky – not in reality!) and so is becoming easier to find.  I will send out instructions to find it later in the month. 

Neptune reaches opposition on the 19^th and so is well placed.  Contact your Coordinator if you want ephemeris to find it.

The Sun

Solar activity is still increasing and solar observations are a good idea.  Take great care to never look directly at the Sun, or directly through an optical instrument.

Ensure a proper filter is in place or project the image onto card. 

Meteor Showers:  The Eta Perseid meteor shower reaches a maximum on the 10^th September but may be seen through the middle of the month.  The ZHR (Zenith Hourly Rate) is only around 5 though, so be patient!

Moon

6^th September:     Moon is at Last Quarter     15^th September:  New Moon

22^nd September:  Moon is at First Quarter    29^th September:  Full Moon

 

To view this post in PDF format please CLICK HERE

Professor Chris Lintott will be delivering a lecture, available to view free online, on Wed 13th September 2023. The title is

Island Universes: Discovering Galaxies Beyond the Milky Way

Details are available about how to register for the event on the Gresham College website at

https://www.gresham.ac.uk/whats-on/galaxies-beyond

By James Weightman

Took advantage of (rare!) early evening to take picture of Venus with handheld camera. Care taken to stand in shadow of sun, it was then relatively easy to find Venus (surprisingly conspicuous) using coordinates from computer program, and then with steady hands to zoom in. Further details on image.

The nights are drawing in and observations should be getting easier.

Planets:

Mercury:  Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 27^° but is low and difficult to find.  It is worth having a go if you have a clear western horizon.  

Venus:  Venus is lost in the evening twilight early in the month and passes through Inferior Conjunction on the 13^th of the month.  It will be a morning object by the end of August.

Mars is still visible in the evening sky, but is an increasingly difficult object.  The disc size drops to 3.8 arc seconds this month and it is low in the western sky by the time it gets dark. 

Jupiter is now rising before midnight and becoming more easily observed for those willing to stay up into the early hours.

Saturn reaches opposition on the 27^th and is visible all night.  It is low in the sky, but is well worth viewing.  The rings are at a shallow angle.

Uranus and Neptune are still morning objects.  They will be better placed in the autumn.

The Sun

Solar activity is still increasing and solar observations are a good idea.  Take great care to never look directly at the Sun, or directly through an optical instrument.

Ensure a proper filter is in place or project the image onto card.

Meteor Showers:  The Perseid meteor shower continues, lasting from 17^th July until 24^th August.  These can be quite prolific and it’s well worth waiting up for them.  The full Moon will be a problem at the start of the month. 

Moon

1^st and 31st August:  Full Moon.          8^th August:  Moon is at last quarter.

16^th August:  New Moon.                               24^th August:  Moon is at First Quarter.

To view this post in PDF format please CLICK HERE

I have recently undertaken a detailed survey of light pollution in south Gloucestershire, including a region around the A417. This was commissioned by the Cotswold Conservation Board in Northleach and funded by the Highways Agency. Highways wanted to know the current state of light pollution within 20km of the A417 with a view to minimizing the impact of the proposed changes to that road. Prior to Covid, I had been on a committee with the Conservation Board in an effort to get some form of Dark Sky Status for parts of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) of the Cotswolds. I was one of two astronomers asked to sit on the committee, the other being from the Chipping Norton Astronomical Group.

As amateur astronomers we are very much aware that dark skies are needed for many of our night time observations and that light pollution seriously impacts our ability to see and image fainter objects. It is only when viewing the Moon and planets that light pollution is not a major problem, but for all other objects the ever-increasing glare in our night skies is a great nuisance to us.

It is estimated that the extent of light pollution has increased by around 10% each year, thereby doubling within 8 years. Apart from the negative impacts on both amateur and professional astronomy, light pollution has many other detrimental effects.

The switch to LED lighting has not reduced light pollution, quite the opposite. Moreover, it has increased the amount of light in the blue part of the spectrum, which is even more damaging to wildlife. Light pollution seriously affects the predator/prey relationship for nocturnal creatures. The extra light gives an undue advantage to the predator, such as bats, owls and foxes. This then leads to a crash in prey numbers, with a knock-on effect on the predator. Prey that does survive may move to darker places and thus there is loss of habitat for the prey. The impact on insect populations has been dramatic and, remember, we depend upon insects for the entire food chain.

Evolution is a slow process, and none of us, insects, animals or humans evolved to live in permanent light. It affects all our circadian rhythms, disrupts sleep patterns, and leads to additional stress.

It is not often realised how far reaching light pollution can be. Many of us will have seen badly directed security lamps, those wretched 500W things, that dazzle us when we merely pass nearby on the road. These are completely unnecessary on a typical house and can be a major nuisance to those around. They are often badly directed and are frequently tripped by a passing cat or fox, and stay on for a while. The tripping does not alert neighbours to think anything untoward is happening, as it happens so frequently, and so they are ignored. Even if you did look to see what was happening, you would be unlikely to see any detail against the dazzling light. As a security tool on a house, they are worse than useless as they are costly to run, annoy the neighbours, and cause serious light pollution. One some distance from my house has often disrupted astrophotography in my back garden.

Lights from towns can spread a long way from the town itself, as my research clearly showed.

Below is a fisheye lens view of the sky near Daglingworth about 5 km from Cirencester

Notice how far up from the horizon the glow has spread. This was one of the darker sites for which I took readings. Even Stroud, at 13km distant is still producing some sky glow, while the glow from Stratton and Cirencester almost a third the way to zenith.

The photo below is of Rendcomb, which lies some 8km north of Cirencester.

The photo was taken above the village on a lane near to the White Way. Although it is clear that Rendcomb was below me in altitude, the lights from the College’s Astroturf, more than 1 km away, are dazzling, despite using the trees to block the direct glare. It is clear that these lights are poorly directed, as they are clearly pointing upwards at some angle! The light pollution is dreadful. Moreover, this was after 8.30 pm and the pitch was not in use. I could clearly read all the camera settings from the lights of Rendcomb. This emphasises how far-reaching light pollution can be.

One last photo here emphasises the impact of major towns and roads:

This is taken from Crickley Hill Country Park that allowed me in after sunset. The lights of Gloucester are to the left, with the A417 coming out towards you. The M5 crosses in front of Chosen Hill and Cheltenham to the right. Note that the lights of moving traffic are more separated and therefore cause less light pollution. See if you can spot the Plough in the sky above and to the left of Cheltenham.

So, what can we do? Well, we need to be more aware of any unnecessary light pollution we cause ourselves. Do we need that outside light on all the time, that security light or the curtains left open? Check that any external lighting is directed downwards and not outwards.

The Highways Agency are doing their bit, as they have decreed that the new section of the A417 will not be lit. I have supported this decision. After all, the section it joins is currently not lit either. Despite the local council requesting lighting, I am pleased that Highways are holding out on energy and environmental grounds.

We can campaign for street lighting to be reduced, or at least dimmed, with future lighting and bulbs to be better directed and using less white LEDs, but more environmentally sympathetic colour temperatures. Less lighting does not mean less security. There is growing evidence that crime rates actually fall when lighting is reduced. Criminals want to be able to see what they’re doing!
If we do not take action soon, we will lose the night skies, reduce wildlife and impact our own health. Unlike other types of pollution, light pollution is reversible, could save energy and let many more people enjoy the wonders of truly dark skies.

As a society we need to see what action we can take to prevent the loss of dark skies. Perhaps some of you feel strongly enough to form a small focus group that could recommend a way forward. Please email your Coordinator Neil at coord@cotswoldas.org.uk if you could take part.

Furthermore, in the meantime, we could all get behind a petition to Parliament to pass a Dark Sky Law. If enough people sign it, Government will have to give it consideration.

Details can be found at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/632558

 

To view this post in PDF format please CLICK HERE

Neil Havard

CAS Coordinator