As autumn settles over the UK, there is something quietly magical about stargazing. Crisp air and early darkness come hand in hand with familiar constellations. Cold nights might not sound inviting when you're on the sofa, but with a thick coat, a flask, and someone to share the view with, they're rather easy to fall in love with.
Author
- Alix Violet Freckelton
Research Fellow - Sun, Stars, and Exoplanets, University of Birmingham
Those of us venturing outside this year will be rewarded with bright planets and dazzling meteor showers. Most events don't need specialist equipment, just clear skies and a small amount of patience.
The star (well… planet) of the show: Saturn
The observing season kicks off with one of the loveliest sights the Solar System offers us. Saturn reaches opposition when Earth lies directly between the planet and the Sun on October 4. Around this date, Saturn will be at its closest and brightest. It rises around sunset and remains visible throughout the night as a steady, golden light in the southern part of the sky.
Saturn is more than bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. But this is one occasion when a telescope can transform the experience. Even a modest telescope can reveal the famous rings. There's a unique thrill in seeing them with your own eyes.
Although opposition is the best date to put in the diary, there's no need to give up hope if the British weather has other plans. Saturn remains a stunning evening sight throughout the season.
Shooting stars
The annual Draconid meteor shower peaks just a few days later, on October 9. Unlike many meteor showers that require late nights that stretch into early mornings to be visible, the Draconids are best seen in the evening. Plus, with a thin waning moon not rising until just before dawn, the skies will be properly dark for this spectacle. There's normally no more than ten meteors per hour for this particular shower, so treat each shooting star as a small reward.
The Southern Taurids , also an annual phenomenon, peak on the following night, under a new Moon. It's another gentle shower, but its slow, bright meteors are striking. The Northern branch then peaks on November 12. Taurids are nicknamed the Halloween Fireballs, perfectly suiting a dark autumn evening.
We get another chance around October 21 with the Orionids . These are rapid meteors that are fragments left behind by Halley's Comet. A bright moon will hide some of the fainter ones, so we'll be left with the brightest and largest meteors the shower can offer.
For all these meteor showers, there's no need to bring a telescope. Just allow 20 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark outside. Of course, a comfortable chair, blanket and a hot drink make the waiting much more enjoyable.
The silver oldies
Perhaps the best sights we get this autumn aren't confined to a single night. As the evenings grow darker, the Pleiades will rise in the east. This is a tight cluster of young stars that is often mistaken for the Little Dipper. With the naked eye, most people can typically pick out six or seven stars, while binoculars or a telescope reveal dozens of stars crowded into this small patch of sky.
Autumn is also perfect for finding the Andromeda galaxy . From a dark location, it appears in the sky as a faint smudge. The faint glow offered by this smudge, however, has travelled for roughly 2.5 million years to reach our eyes.
By late autumn, we see the return of Orion to our skies. The three-star belt is one of the most recognisable patterns in the night sky. These dependable sights are perfect for UK stargazing since, unlike a meteor shower peak, they'll still be waiting when the clouds clear.
The grand finale in December
The most spectacular night will come with the Geminid meteor shower . With the peak on December 14, as many as 120 meteors an hour can be seen under perfect, dark conditions.
Geminids are often intensely bright, sometimes even coloured, and slower than many other meteors, giving us a great chance to catch them. We'll have particularly good timing this year. The waxing crescent Moon will set just after 9pm, leaving the rest of the night dark.
Finally, make sure to look up on Christmas Eve for the year's only supermoon . The full Moon will occur close to its nearest point to Earth, making it appear especially large and bright. It's a true spectacle on a winter night.
The coldest months don't have to mean the end of outdoor evenings. At least in my opinion, the best way to experience autumn and winter is to wrap up warm, step into the dark, and watch the universe dance through the night sky.
Alix Violet Freckelton receives funding from UKRI.
