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MESSAGE OF THE MONTH
Meet the stars
I’m an astrophysics student at the University of Leicester and Chief Astronomer of the University of Leicester Astronomy and Rocketry Society. I organise the society’s stargazing and observatory activities at the Oadby Observatory. In October we had the opportunity to attend a star party there that was being filmed for the November 2023 episode of The Sky at Night. It was great to watch and participate in the filming of the show and get a chance to meet the presenters, including Pete Lawrence. I produce observing guides for the society’s members, and Pete’s monthly Sky Guides in the magazine have been very helpful for me. A big thank you to everyone at the magazine for such an enjoyable read every month! I find it very informative and have read every issue since the solar eclipse in March 2015.
Separately, back on 25 November 2023 we were observing Jupiter through the Oadby Observatory telescope and managed to see the Great Red Spot in the southern equatorial belt region of the planet. We also saw another feature, darker and larger than the Great Red Spot, around the northern equatorial belt region. We thought it could have been a shadow from a moon of Jupiter, or from the secondary mirror, but discounted both these ideas. Could anyone help us to identify this feature?
Luke Morriss, Leicester
What kind words, Luke! As for the feature you saw on Jupiter, we wonder if it was a dark storm, where a gap in higher clouds reveals the darker cloud layer below. – Ed.
This month’s top prize: two Philip’s titles
The ‘Message of the Month’ writer will receive a bundle of two top titles courtesy of astronomy publisher Philip’s: Nigel Henbest’s Stargazing 2024 and Robin Scagell’s Guide to the Northern Constellations
Winner’s details will be passed on to Octopus Publishing to fulfil the prize
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Alan Crossland
@alan65834785 • 11 January Orion rising over the Cuckmere River, cold and clear!!
#southdowns #Astrophotography #StormHour @skyatnightmag
Malvern fireball
On the evening of Friday 19 January at around 7:32pm, I was outside my front door as I finished a phone call before going indoors. Facing south and staring up at the frosty, clear night sky, the half Moon was in front of me and Orion wa
