Adrian Dening's Stars Over Somerset

    Monday 25th November to Sunday 1st December 2024

    If you look towards the east at 8pm on the evening of Tuesday 26th, the constellation of Orion will have just risen above the horizon, with Jupiter a little higher.



    Aim your telescope towards the planet and it should be easy to spot Jupiter's four Galilean moons.

    Around 8pm, Io will be passing (or transiting) in front of the planet and because of the angle that sunlight is illuminating the event, Io's shadow will be cast on the planet's surface. See if you can make out what will look like a small black dot against the clouds of Jupiter's storms.



    Io is the third largest of Jupiter's Galilean moons and a little larger than our own Moon. It would be a pretty nasty place to live, with over 400 live volcanoes, making it the most geologically active object in our Solar System. Being the closest moon to Jupiter, it is also constantly bombarded by magnetic radiation from the planet. Io was the first moon identified by Galileo back in 1610 with his new-fangled invention called a telescope!



    There are a couple of potentially excellent International Space Station passes next week if the skies are clear: Tuesday 26th at 6.17pm and Wednesday 27th at 5.28pm. In both cases, the ISS appears in the west and spends several minutes passing almost directly overhead, before disappearing towards the east.

    Finally, a reminder that my next astronomy talk and star party at the Ham Hill Visitor Centre is taking place at 7pm on Friday 6th December. The last one filled very quickly, so if you'd like to come along, it is essential to reserve a place by contacting the Ranger's Office on 07973 887129.

    www.starsoversomerset.com
    Screenshots courtesy of Stellarium
    Io image courtesy of Wikipedia
    Copyright Adrian Dening and Radio Ninesprings 2024

    More from Community & Charity News

    • Adrian Dening's Stars Over Somerset

      Monday 9th to Sunday 15th December 2024

    • Adrian Dening's Stars Over Somerset

      Monday 2nd to Sunday 8th December 2024

    • TV Licence

      For nearly as long as there has been a BBC there has been a licence fee. However, the number of people paying for a TV Licence has steadily declined.

    • Warm Coats

      This year’s Winter Coat Exchange in Somerset has launched. The scheme will provide a warm coat to anyone needing one.

    • Dog DNA

      Avon and Somerset Police are encouraging dog owners to protect their pets from theft by entering their details into a DNA doggy database.

    • Mobile Phones in Vehicles

      Somerset County Council’s road safety team is working with partners to urge drivers to keep their fixed eyes on the road.

    • Clean up our Countryside

      Two new litter-pick stations have been installed, equipped with litter pickers and reusable bags for anyone to borrow and do their own two-minute clean-up at countryside sites across South Somerset.

    • Church Bats

      People attending church services in South Somerset are being asked to check to see if they can see any bats lodging in roof spaces.

    Today's Weather

    • Yeovil

      Heavy rain shower

      High: 8°C | Low: 7°C

    • Chard

      Heavy rain shower

      High: 8°C | Low: 6°C

    • Crewkerne

      Heavy rain shower

      High: 8°C | Low: 6°C

    • Somerton

      Heavy rain shower

      High: 8°C | Low: 6°C

    • Wincanton

      Heavy rain shower

      High: 8°C | Low: 6°C

    Recently Played