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Skywatch

The local information on these pages is provided by feeds from third party websites and is credited appropriately. The North Highland College will not be held responsible for the content, interpretation, or the accuracy of this information.

Caithness Sutherland Sport Weather Skywatch

Thu, 01 May 2008 17:30:00 +0000

The night sky for May 2008

Current moon

Ian Morison tells us what we can see in the night sky from northern latitudes during May 2008. As the Sun sets, the constellations of Taurus and Gemini are setting towards the west. Leo is high in the south west and to the lower left of Leo is Virgo. Telescopes show a wonderful number of galaxies forming the Virgo cluster stretching from Denebola to Spica. Above Leo is Ursa Major - the Great Bear - with lots of interesting things to look at. It is not a bad month for planets. Mercury reaches greatest elongation - greatest angle from the Sun - around the middle of the month. On 6th May we could have a wonderful skyscape; very low to the north west after sunset will be the Pleiades star cluster, a very thin crescent Moon and above that to the left will be Mercury. Remember that looking directly at the Sun can be dangerous so make sure that you wait until after the Sun has set. Saturn is visible fairly high in south west after sunset in the constellation of Leo. It starts the month two degrees to the east of Leo's brightest star Regulus. With a small telescope you should be able to see Saturn's largest moon Titan. By the end of May Jupiter rises just before midnight. Mars is in the constellation of Gemini. On May 5th it moves into the constellation of Cancer and will form a line with the stars Castor and Pollux. Venus is very low above the horizon so is almost impossible to observe due to the glare of the Sun. Ian also answers a listener question about good beginner telescopes that can be used to take astronomical photographs.

Aurorae

A graphical depiction of the northern auroral oval

The current auroral oval courtesy of NOAA

Northern Scotland is the best place in Britain to see aurorae (or northern lights). When the coloured mass (auroral oval) in the image to the left extends into the outline of Britain, aurorae are likely to be visible in Caithness and Sutherland skies.

Aurorae are more prominent in Winter months when the sky is dark and clear.

Aurorae are also stronger and more common during periods of solar activity. Solar activity moves in eleven year cycles, and we are currently close to the minimum level. As the level of solar activity increases over the coming years, so will the number of aurorae and the strength of their appearance.

Today's sunspot activity

For more information about aurorae, solar activity and the night sky in general please visit Spaceweather.com by clicking here.

This month's sky report is courtesy of the RSS feed from Manchester University's Jodcast website which you can visit by clicking here.

The auroral oval appears courtesy of the US NOAA website which you can visit by clicking here.

Today's moon phase is courtesy of the US Naval Observatory whose website you can visit by clicking here.

Today's sun image appears courtesy of the excellent Spaceweather.com which you can visit by clicking here.