Derekscope

• At this point, Mercury is hidden in the Sun’s glare and completely unobservable from Earth.
  o
• 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.
  o

• 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.

oooo

• Comet 24P/Schaumasse made its closest approach to the Sun on Thursday 8th January.
  o
• 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).
  o
• Binoculars are often essential – a small telescope helps for fainter objects or better detail.
  o
• It is predicted to reach maximum brightness of magnitude +10.
  o

• It wasn’t Mars, it was Antares, the red giant star in Scorpius.
  o
• Antares can easily be mistaken for Mars, the red planet, because it shines as a bright red star in the constellation Scorpius.
  o
• Binoculars
  By magnifying the view and reducing glare, binoculars make the red hue stand out more strongly.
  o
• Small telescope
  Even better — you’ll see Antares glowing with a deep orange‑red tint, contrasting beautifully against nearby stars.
  o
• BSL Version

oooo

• 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

• Zubenelgenubi is visible to the naked eye under clear, dark sky conditions and can be easily observed with binoculars.
  o
• Zubenelgenubi (Alpha Librae) is a wide double star: one component shines pale yellow, while the other appears light gray‑white.
  o
• 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.
  o
• Binocular View
  Using binoculars will reveal that Zubenelgenubi is a fascinating double star system, appearing as two separate points of light.
  o

• 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.
  o
• Binoculars
  Even with good binoculars, Spica still appears as one point of light.
  o
• 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.
  o

• The Last Quarter Moon occurs on Saturday 10th January 2026, at 10:49 am.
  o
• It will be visible from the night sky into the daylight, with moonrise at 01:29am and moonset at 12:11pm.
  o

• Jupiter reaches opposition, meaning Earth is directly between the Sun and Jupiter at 08:34am in the constellation Gemini (The Twin).
  o
• This is when the giant planet is closest, brightest, and visible all night long.
  o

• Jupiter reaches opposition and is at its closest distance to Earth for the year.
  o
• At opposition, Jupiter is not only closest but also largest in apparent size, making details easier to see.
  o

Observing Tips

• Binoculars (7×50 or 10×50)
  Spot the four Galilean moons.
  o
• Small telescope (80–100mm)
  See cloud bands and the Great Red Spot.
  o
• Medium telescope (150mm+)
  Watch moon shadows crossing Jupiter’s disk.
  o
• Urban observers
  Jupiter is bright enough to cut through light pollution,
  so even city skies offer a good view.
  o