The Night Sky astronomy

Neptune could be visible at its highest point in the south with binoculars or a telescope.

Image of the month: Moon landing Chandrayaan-3 is a space probe of the Indian space agency, the Indian Space Research Organization, launched on 14th July 2023. The third mission of the Chandrayaan program, its objective is to collect scientific data on the Moon. The space probe landed on the surface of the moon, at the south pole, on 23rd August. The Vikram lander and Pragyan rover are expected to operate for two weeks, from lunar sunrise to sunset.

Meteor Shower for October: The Orionids and the Southern Taurids

Firstly The Orionids, which are associated with the Comet 1P/Halley, will be active from the 5th to the 30th of October. This year the peak of activity will be spread across a period of a week around the 21st when rates could be 25 per hour. It is best to wait until the constellation of Orion is well above the horizon for the best chance of spotting a few meteors, and don't forget to let your eyes become adjusted to the dark sky.

The Moon is showing a first quarter phase on the 22nd so observing conditions will be quite good. A second but less active meteor shower in October is the Southern Taurids. This shower will peak on the 10th. We can distinguish between these and the Orionids by noticing where in the sky they emanate from. The constellation of Taurus can be found to the north and west of Orion. The other difference to look out for is the fact that Taurids are often slower with bright fireballs.

Virtual Space Journey: Catching up with Voyager 1

This small spacecraft named Voyager 1, which is the size of a family car, was launched from Earth in 1977. It has been so simple for us to catch up with this craft