Derekscope

Conjunction of Jupiter and Mercury

• Jupiter and Mercury are in conjunction, appearing very close together in the morning sky.
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• The conjunction occurs in the pre-dawn sky.
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• Look 45–60 minutes before sunrise toward the east-northeastern horizon.
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• The two planets will be close enough to fit comfortably within the field of view of most binoculars, creating a striking pairing against the brightening dawn.
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• However, because they are only about 12° from the Sun, they remain low in the sky and require a clear, unobstructed horizon.
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• Stop using binoculars or a telescope before sunrise to avoid accidentally viewing the Sun.
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Venus at greatest elongation east

• Venus reaches its greatest eastern elongation, one of the best times to observe it as the “Evening Star”.
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• Outstanding in the western sky after sunset.
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• Looking 30–45 minutes after sunset toward the western horizon.
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• Venus will be unmistakably bright and will remain visible until late evening, making this one of the finest evening apparitions of 2026.
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Thank you to everyone who texted me to say thanks for sharing about the eclipse! ~ I’m so glad many of you got to witness it.
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Check out my astrophotography shot of it below!

Next one – Monday 2nd August 2027

• UK observers will see a partial solar eclipse in the morning around 9am BST on Monday 2nd August 2027.
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• While the path of full totality will pass through southern Spain, Gibraltar, North Africa, and the Middle East, observers staying in the UK will still get a significant partial view.
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• The eclipse of the Moon will cover between 30% and 45% of the Sun, depending on how far south you are located ~ for example, observers in London can expect roughly 42% to 45% coverage.
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Mercury and the Moon rising

• Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury.
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• The very thin waning crescent Moon and Mercury rise together in the pre-dawn sky, providing one of the month’s most attractive morning pairings.
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• Both are in the constellation Cancer.
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The Moon at Perigee

• The Moon reaches perigee ~ the closest point in its orbit from Earth.
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• The Moon appears slightly smaller and dimmer in the sky compared to perigee.
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Conjunction of the Moon and Mars

• The waning crescent Moon is in conjunction with Mars, making a pleasing pre-dawn sight.
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• For observers in the UK, look toward the east-northeastern sky about 1–2 hours before sunrise.
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• The slender crescent Moon will act as an easy guide to the reddish-orange Mars.
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• The pair will be visible to the naked eye, and binoculars will enhance the view, although they are too far apart to fit together in most telescopes’ fields of view.
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Moon at Last Quarter

• At the exact moment of Last Quarter, the Moon is in the constellation Aries.
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• It rises around midnight, is highest near sunrise, and sets around midday.
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• This is an excellent time to observe the Moon through binoculars or a telescope because the line between lunar day and night (the terminator) highlights craters and mountains with dramatic shadows

Solar Eclipse in the UK!

• 90% Solar Eclipse
  – Here’s your preparing to find your clear unobstructed because the eclipse occurs at the low horizon.
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• Recommended Viewing Spots
  – BSL explanation by Derek Rowley.

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• High hilltops or ridges
  Elevated terrain clears the immediate visual clutter of trees and buildings, extending your line of sight to the true horizon.
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• Multi-storey car parks
  The top open-air deck of a city car park can provide an excellent, elevated urban platform to clear the local skyline.
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• Beaches and coastlines
  Coastal shores looking out over the ocean offer a completely flat, zero-obstruction horizon at water level.
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• Large open fields: Expansive farmland or rural plains offer wide, panoramic views if a waterfront or hill is unavailable.
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The Moon and Saturn rising together.

• Look toward the eastern to southeastern sky after midnight as the morning progresses, the pair will climb higher.
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• A waning gibbous Moon will rise with Saturn nearby, making the ringed planet easy to locate by using the Moon as a guide.
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• Saturn will appear as a steady, yellowish point of light. With binoculars it remains star-like, but even a small telescope will reveal its famous rings.
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Mercury at greatest elongation west (morning apparition)

• Mercury reaches its greatest western elongation, making it one of the best opportunities to observe the planet in the morning sky.
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• Best time to observe around 45–60 minutes before sunrise.
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• Low above the eastern to east-northeastern horizon with an unobstructed view.
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