h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Outside there's a bright full moon. Nearby that is the bright spot of planet Jupiter. If you look at that with binoculars, you should be able to see the 4 Galilean moons of Jupiter all quite close to the planet. All of this makes a pretty conjunction in the night sky.

Or it would do if the ing clouds would clear away.

I like stargazing and now we're moving towards winter skies I recognise the constellations better. The other night I spotted the Pleiedes and Orion taking back their seasonal ownership of the night skies. No chance of seeing anything tonight, although I do admit that if the clouds disappeared the moonlight would drown out most other celestial delights.

A couple of weeks ago there was a sudden unexpected burst of an aurora reaching down to the British Isles. I received an email from Aurorawatch telling me to go and look outside. Well I would have done but we had total cloud cover that night.

Recently there was a promising meteor shower in the news, but I couldn't scan the skies for shooting stars because all I could see were clouds.

Astronomy can be a very frustrating hobby when the weather won't cooperate.

I got to see the Moon and Jupiter from central London, they were both so bright. Even with no binoculars, Jupiter still looked slightly oval, which delighted me. I can see Jupiter's moons! Well, I can see where they ARE, which isn't bad going for street-lit inner city.

Sorry.

You're forgiven, that's pretty good seeing for the city.

We had clouds during that meteor shower too.

Drops by to indicate that I've read this, but little else..

Feeling happier today as it stayed clear long enough for me to get a good look at the Earth's moon as well as spotting a couple of Jupiter's moons through my binnies.

MC