UK Astronomy News

Sky at Night and Fools at the BBC
So the BBC has not decided if it can afford to pay for Buzz Aldrin to be flown over for the 50th Anniversary programme of the Sky at Night. That wonderfal man and national treasure, Sir Patrick Moore, must be fuming from his monocle. Rightly so!

How shameful that the BBC can pay for all the soaps and reality TV, yet can't see what a wonderful and educational programme the Sky at Night is. It's inspiring for adults and children alike, and Sir Patrick can rightly take pride in inspiring generations of astronomers who make a significant contribution to science.

No doubt the fools will schedule it again for two o'clock in the morning. They've been watching too much reality TV themselves - brains like Jade Goody. It looks more and more like the BBC can take some responsibility for the dumbing down of the nation. Is that good value for the licence fee?

February 10th 2007 - Saturn in Opposition

Saturn is in opposition on Feb. 10, 2007. Opposition means that the sun is on one side of the Earth and the object is directly opposite. This means that Saturn will be fully lit up by the sun and will appear like a disk.

Where can I find Saturn?: on 10th of February, 2007, you should be able to see Saturn between Cancer and Leo in the East during late evening.

What Telescope do I need?

You will need a reasonable telescope to be able to see Saturn's rings clearly. The most cost-effective would be a reflector telescope of at least 150mm or 6 inches aperture.

Let's hope for clear skies!