Adrian Dening's Stars Over Somerset

Saturday, 1 February 2025 18:58

Monday 3rd to Sunday 9th February 2025

At 10.45 pm on Wednesday 5th February, a 55%-lit waxing gibbous Moon will be located towards the west, with the Pleiades open cluster of stars and planet Jupiter above and to the left of it.

This is the optimum time to try and identify another of those clair-obscur visual effects on the lunar surface known as the "Stars of Aristillus". The crater Aristillus is located towards the top of the Moon. It is 55Km in diameter and prominent peaks in the centre of the crater's flat surface create the visual effect.

If you've brought your telescope out to see the Stars of Aristillus, at the same time, planet Uranus at a magnitude of only +5.7 will be located a little below and to the left of the Moon.

A few weeks ago I mentioned the Moon's libration or wobble. On Thursday 6th, this wobble favours the south east part of the lunar surface where there is a cluster of dark lava-filled craters right on the edge of where you can see.

Around 7pm on 6th, the Moon will be found towards the south, above Jupiter and the constellation of Orion. Look to the west and you should be able to catch Saturn and Venus setting below the horizon.

Go back outside again around 7pm on Sunday 9th and the Moon will be located towards the south east this time. It will appear more gibbous now, with a greater percentage of the surface illuminated, as the Full Moon is only a few days away. Mars will be very close to the Moon's south east limb and easy to spot with just the naked eye.