Introduction 100 years ago in November 1919, the United Kingdom was in the middle of a severe cold spell. This was a cold spell that would be significant enough in the heart of winter, but the fact it took place in mid-November is extraordinary. Across the whole of the British […]
On Monday 11th November, Mercury will transit across the face of the Sun. This planetary alignment will occur 14 times throughout the 21st Century, but, due to the size of Mercury and the time of year, observing this tiny black disk crossing the face of the Sun, can be challenging. […]
The annual Perseid meteor shower is coming. The shower begins, gently, in mid-July when Earth enters the outskirts of a cloud of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle. Dust-sized meteoroids, hitting the atmosphere, will streak across the night sky, at first only a sprinkling, just a few each night, but the rate […]
The first noctilucent clouds of this season have been spotted from NASA’s AIM spacecraft. These beautiful midnight clouds illuminate the twilight sky of summer. If you see any be sure to report it at the NLC Observers website. Noctilucent clouds are the highest clouds in the Earth’s atmosphere, located in […]
With the tree pollen season in full flow and grass pollen season is looming, being informed of how the weather and pollen could affect you is key to being able to take the required steps to minimise any symptoms you may be subject to. With this in mind, I have […]
With the settled weather, and clear skies, thoughts at this time of year turn to the forthcoming Messier Marathon season. This year, 2019, the best observing times will be from 3rd – 9th March. If you aren’t familiar with what a Messier Marathon is, here’s a simple definition: A Messier […]
A total lunar eclipse is when the Moon passes into the Earth’s total shadow, or umbra. Lunar eclipses occur on a full Moon night when the Sun, Earth and Moon are aligned in a straight line or almost straight line in space. Anyone on the night-side of the Earth at […]
With the threat of snow ever present in the tabloids, it helps to stay informed and bypass the sensationalist headlines. Check out the Snow RADAR, forecasts and Model forecasts on the pages below.
Reports coming from south west Ireland over the weekend in the news media indicate that a bright meteor possibly broke up as it entered Earth’s atmosphere early on Friday morning. For more information, check out the BBC News report where local expert at the Armagh Observatory, Apostolos Christou, spoke to […]
With many thanks to WANSTEAD METEO for this fantastic insight into the last 70 years of winter snow in London. Follow Wanstead Meteo on Twitter. I first wrote this blog in December 2013 not realising that the following winters were going to turn so mild. Winter 2013/14 ranks the worst of […]