Derekscope

• The Moon will indeed appear close to Antares in the early morning of 11th February.
  o
• Antares is the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius, a red supergiant often called the “heart of the scorpion.”
  o

• The Moon reaches apogee ~ the farthest point in its orbit from Earth.
  o
• The Moon appears slightly smaller and dimmer in the sky compared to perigee.
  o

• The Moon reaches its exact Last Quarter phase at 12:43pm this early afternoon.
  o
• Moonrise at 01:24am on 9th February, Transit at 05:31am and moonset at 09:38am.
  o

• The British Deaf Astronomical Association gathered in London on Saturday 7th February 2026 for a day being involved in discovery at AstroFest.

• Click here to see the full report and photos.
  o
  o

• Though it looks like one star to the naked eye, Spica is actually a close double star ~ two massive blue‑white stars orbiting each other every 4 days.
  o
• Both stars are hotter and larger than our Sun.
  o
• Binoculars
  – Spica always looks like a single bright point of bluish‑white light.
  o
• Telescope
  – Even with good backyard telescopes, Spica still appears as one star.
  – The two components are separated by less than 0.1 arcseconds (far below the resolving power of amateur instruments).
  o
• On Saturday 7th February 2026 at 6am, the Moon will appear very close to Spica, the brightest star in Virgo.
  o

• Telescope 80–100 mm
  Enough to see Ganymede, its shadow, and the GRS, though with limited detail.
  o
• Increase magnification (Telescope)
  Around 120×–180× gives a good balance of detail and stability.
  o
• Wait for steady moments:
  The shadow is easiest to see when the atmosphere briefly calms.
  o
• Look for contrast
  Ganymede’s shadow appears as a small, sharp dark dot on Jupiter’s cloud tops.
  o
• GRS timing
  The Great Red Spot is easiest when it’s near the centre of Jupiter’s disc.
  o

Welcome everyone to visit their exhibition

• Deaf astronomers will be visiting this year’s exhibition, and we’re excited to welcome everyone to visit their AstroFest exhibition.
  o
• Three floors of exhibition space with everything from the latest telescopes and equipment to astronomy books and magazines.
  o
• We look forward to seeing you at the exhibition.
  o
• More information about BDAA events – read more.
  o

• On the night of Monday 2nd thru Tuesday 3rd February 2026, the Full Moon and Regulus will appear in the same line toward the southern sky.
  o
• Around 03:45 / 3.35am on Tuesday 3rd February, the Moon will be directly below Regulus.
  o
• The Moon’s bright disk will form a straight line with Regulus above it, making the star easy to spot despite the glare.
  o

Snow Moon

• It will be in the constellation Cancer and is traditionally called the Snow Moon, reflecting the deep winter season.
  o
• The Moon will be high in the sky by late evening, making it excellent for outreach events or astrophotography.
  o
• Its position in Cancer places it near the Beehive Cluster (Messier 44), which could be a beautiful pairing for binocular or telescope viewing.
  o

• Traditional Full Moon Names and their Meanings
  – Full Moon names reflect seasonal changes and natural rhythms observed by early cultures, particularly those influenced by UK colonial traditions and Native American heritage.
  o
  – Learn more about traditional Full Moon Names and their Meanings ~ Read more.
  o

• The Moon will appear in line with Pollux and Castor, the twin stars of Gemini in an early evening at 17:30 / 5.30pm.
  o
• Best viewing is in the early evening to midnight, when Gemini is high in the southeast sky.
  o