The recent spell of clear weather has not only provided beautiful white landscapes and amazing sunsets. After dark, conditions for viewing the night skies have been near enough perfect. You don't have to travel very far in the Outdoor Capital to find an spot with no light pollution, and watching the skies requires no special equipment, just a little knowledge, warm clothing and patience. Don't take the amazing skies for granted - get out there and stargaze once in a while. You won't be disappointed!

Last Friday (3rd January), I wrapped up warm and braved the freezing temperatures to watch the Quadrantid meteorite shower, a natural spectacle which often passes unnoticed. I set up camp in the garden just before midnight, with coffee, sleeping bag, gloves, hat and hood up. I spotted quite a few meteorites during the hour I spent outside (one every couple of minutes, at least) and it becomes addictive. You find yourself deciding to wait and see one more, then go to bed. However, after each subsequent one, I would either think, "That one was small - it didn't count" or "Wow! That was a good one. I bet another one will be along soon"! Unfortunately, the decision to retreat was made for me, when I heard rustling in the bushes and strange bird calls not very far away! I'm sure it was only the pair of pheasants who recently set up residence chez Braes, but I was seriously spooked by then!

In December, the Moon passed closer to the Earth than at any other time in the last 15 years, meaning it appeared bigger and brighter than usual, and January's Full Moon (on January 10th) will be almost as spectacular. This might also be a good month for the Moon to exhibit "Earthshine", when the dark part of a crescent Moon’s surface is faintly illuminated by Sunlight reflected from the tops of clouds on Earth.

Five planets are lined up in the western sky soon after Sunset at the moment. Mercury and Jupiter appear very close together, 6 or 7° above the SW horizon, with Venus very noticeable from dusk onwards as a very bright object in the SW, rising higher during the evening. Neptune and Uranus are in the vicinity but are barely visible to the naked eye.

The Milky Way is often spectacular in the Lochaber skies, and it is rewarding to learn just a few constellations (and sounds impressive to those who don't know any!). So don't neglect the ultimate outdoor activity - you don't get much more "out there" than the night sky with its celestial objects, thousands of light years away!

images courtesy of www.bbc.co.uk and www.spaceweather.com

posted by Outdoor Capital of the UK @ 4:14 PM