Derekscope

Eta Aquarids (5th thru 6th May)

• Beginning to ending date: 19th April to 28th May
• Peak Date: 5th thru 6th May
• Rating: Strong
• Zenith Hourly Rate (ZHR): around 50 per hour
• Radiant Position: RA: 22h 20m / DEC: -01°
• Degrees: 45º  (Face:- NorthEast)
• Comet: Comet 1P/Halley
• Note: poorly seen from the UK.

Note: the radiant of the Eta Aquarids, which peaks around 5th thru 6th May, is challenging to observe from the UK due to its radiant in the constellation Aquarius being quite low on the horizon during dawn in the UK – the low altitude means that fewer meteors are visible because the Earth’s atmosphere obscures part of the view.

Lunar X and Lunar V are optical features on the moon, visible through a telescope for several hours around the time of the first quarter moon.

The Moon, Mars, and the Beehive Cluster (M44) also known as Praesepe, is an open cluster in the constellation Cancer and is visible to the naked eye under dark skies, will align beautifully in the night sky.

Mars will appear as a bright reddish point near the cluster, while the Moon will add its glow to the scene. This alignment will be best observed between 22:00 and around midnight BST.

Vesta at opposition
At opposition, Vesta will be located in the constellation of Libra, near the boundary with Virgo.
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From a dark sky, it may even be visible to the naked eye, but binoculars will provide a better view.

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How to sign opposition in BSL?

To locate castor in Gemini using the Moon as a guide, here’s a simple star-hopping method

1. Find the Moon
   Start by identifying the Moon in the night sky. Its position changes nightly, so check its location relative to Gemini.
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2. Locate Gemini
   Look for the two bright stars, Castor and Pollux, which represent the heads of the Gemini twins. They are close together and form a noticeable pair.
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3. Star-Hop from the Moon
   If the Moon is near Gemini, use it as a reference point – move your gaze towards the brighter of the two stars—Pollux—and then to Castor, which is slightly dimmer and to the right of Pollux.

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Castor is a fascinating star system, as it’s actually a three binary stars, meaning it consists of six stars bound together by gravity!
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How to sign binary star in BSL?

Look in the western sky about 90 minutes after sunset – the moon will be a 12%-illuminated waxing crescent.  Jupiter will be a bright planet in the sky, easily visible with the naked eye.

Venus, being much brighter than Saturn, will be the easier of the two to spot, but they can be seen with the naked eye or through binoculars – binoculars can help in viewing them.

The pair will be too widely separated to fit within the field of view of a telescope, but will be visible to the naked eye or through a pair of binoculars.

For the Jupiter’s observers, this might be unique – while these moons are often visible, their specific alignment and proximity to Jupiter tonight could make this a particularly interesting viewing opportunity. 

Look towards the eastern horizon as dawn breaks;
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Venus – the brightest of the three, appearing as a very bright “morning star”.
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Saturn – it will be noticeably dimmer than Venus, but still visible.
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Moon – a thin, waning crescent, about 10% illuminated.
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Consider using binoculars or a telescope for a closer view of Venus and Saturn.