Derekscope

• One of its moons (Ganymede) will come out from behind the planet.
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• It looks like a tiny dot of light slowly appearing beside Jupiter.
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• With a small telescope or big binoculars, you can see it slowly moving.
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• Mercury reaches its highest altitude in the evening sky.
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• This makes tonight one of the best evenings for UK observers to catch Mercury in twilight.
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• Just after sunset, look west – Mercury will be at its easiest to spot for this apparition, low in the western sky.
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• BSL Version

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• Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn – both will be relatively low in the sky, so clear horizon to the west will help.
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• Binoculars will enhance the view, but Saturn’s rings won’t be visible without a telescope.
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• A 3‑day crescent next to Saturn makes a lovely, gentle pairing – a conjunction.
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• They’re low in the west (Clear horizon, binocular recommended.)
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• Mercury will reach its greatest eastern elongation today, appearing 18° east of the Sun in the evening sky.
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• This will be the best evening apparition of Mercury for the Northern Hemisphere in 2026.
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• Both planets will be visible low in the western sky after sunset.
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• Venus will shine brilliantly as the “Evening Star,” while Mercury will be fainter but still noticeable nearby.
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• Mercury lower down, and the crescent Moon between them – a perfect outreach opportunity.
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• Use binoculars to help after the sky fades.
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• BSL Version

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• Annual Solar Eclipse today
  Not visible from the UK but worth saving the date in August this year.
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• Although today’s annual solar eclipse can’t be seen from Britain, our next UK visible solar eclipse is on Wednesday 12 August 2026.
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• It will be a large partial eclipse across the UK, with the Sun taking a dramatic bite in the evening.
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• BSL Version

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• A vertical straight‑line alignment occurs when three of the Galilean moons — usually Io, Europa, Ganymede, or Callisto — appear in a single straight line.
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• Callisto and Europa both produce visible shadow transits.
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• The Moon will indeed appear close to Antares in the early morning of 11th February.
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• Antares is the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius, a red supergiant often called the “heart of the scorpion.”
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