Derekscope

Algol Minima

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• The bright variable star Beta Persei (Algol) will reach its minimum brightness at 20:10 / 8.10pm in the evening on Wednesday 21st January and will be visible from the UK.
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• Here’s a list of upcoming minimum brightness times for Algol – read more.
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• At this point, Mercury is hidden in the Sun’s glare and completely unobservable from Earth.
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• It’s also the moment when Mercury is farthest from Earth in its orbit, about 130 million miles (210 million km) away, hidden behind the Sun.
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• Recently solar activity has been raised the high level (red alert) to over 800 nT (nanotesia) and seen here in Milton Keynes today at 6.30 pm but it’s a shame the clouds eventually rolled in.

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• Comet 24P/Schaumasse made its closest approach to the Sun on Thursday 8th January.
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• The period between Thursday 15th – Wednesday 28th January 2026, will have a less intrusive moon, improving chances to see fainter comets (best seen before dawn roughly 02:30am – 5:30am).
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• Binoculars are often essential – a small telescope helps for fainter objects or better detail.
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• It is predicted to reach maximum brightness of magnitude +10.
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• It wasn’t Mars, it was Antares, the red giant star in Scorpius.
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• Antares can easily be mistaken for Mars, the red planet, because it shines as a bright red star in the constellation Scorpius.
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• Binoculars
  By magnifying the view and reducing glare, binoculars make the red hue stand out more strongly.
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• Small telescope
  Even better — you’ll see Antares glowing with a deep orange‑red tint, contrasting beautifully against nearby stars.
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• BSL Version

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• The Moon reaches apogee ~ the farthest 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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• Zubenelgenubi is visible to the naked eye under clear, dark sky conditions and can be easily observed with binoculars.
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• Zubenelgenubi (Alpha Librae) is a wide double star: one component shines pale yellow, while the other appears light gray‑white.
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• It is located in the constellation of Libra, the Scales.

• Naked Eye Visibility
  Zubenelgenubi has an apparent magnitude of 2.75, making it a modestly bright star that is visible without optical aid, even from light-polluted areas.
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• Binocular View
  Using binoculars will reveal that Zubenelgenubi is a fascinating double star system, appearing as two separate points of light.
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• Spica – it’s actually a spectroscopic binary (double star) in the constellation Virgo, with two massive blue‑white stars orbiting each other about every 4 days.
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• Binoculars
  Even with good binoculars, Spica still appears as one point of light.
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• Telescope
  Only very large professional telescopes (or advanced spectroscopic equipment) can detect the two stars ~ they’re separated by less than 0.1 arcseconds — far below the resolution of amateur telescopes.
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• The Last Quarter Moon occurs on Saturday 10th January 2026, at 10:49 am.
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• It will be visible from the night sky into the daylight, with moonrise at 01:29am and moonset at 12:11pm.
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• Jupiter reaches opposition, meaning Earth is directly between the Sun and Jupiter at 08:34am in the constellation Gemini (The Twin).
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• This is when the giant planet is closest, brightest, and visible all night long.
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