Blackett Observatory - Marlborough College Blackett Observatory

Astronomy Picture of the Day

What's happening on the surface of Saturn's moon Helene?

What's Up - Week of 8th March

Astronomical twilight ends at 19.51UT at the start of the week and 20.02UT at the end
The Moon is waning and will New at the start of next week
The Sun is blank again on the Earth side
The ISS makes good passes this week: On Monday at 19.26.14 WSW to E reaching 69 degrees and 21.01.27 W to W to 10 degrees. Tuesday 18.16.14 SW to E to 39 degrees and 19.51.10 W to N to 86 degrees. Wednesday 18.40.55 WSW to E to 71 degrees and 20.16.08 W to W to 40 degrees. Thursday at 19.05.48 W to E to 85 degrees and 20.41.03 W to W to 21 degrees. Friday 19.30.42 W to E to 86 degrees and 21.05.59 W to W to 11 degrees. Saturday at 18.20.18 W to E to 84 degrees and 19.55.33 W to S to 69 degrees and Sunday 18.45.09 W to E to 85 degrees and 20.20.25 W to WSW to 31 degrees
There are no bright evening Iridium flares this week

News - 4th March

External visit: 21 cubs aged 8 to 10yrs from Marlborough 2nd Scouts and 5 adults came up to the Dome on the clearest evening since the New Year. After a tour of the sky by eye, identifying Mars, Sirius, Polaris, Aldeberan, Pleiades etc, we looked at Pleiades in the Binos and the Orion nebula, showing super nebula shapes in the ETX. The 10inch looked at Mars at x172 and though very bright, some surface detail could be seen and the ice cap was seen by many

GCSE observing: The last coursework drawings were done of Pleiades in binos and Mizar A and B in ETX and Mars in 10inch. Once these were complete we were joined by 2 of the security staff and the 10inch turned to the asteroid Vesta; at magnitude nearly +6, not visible by eye, but easily located in the centre of the sickle of Leo. In the 40mm eyepiece is was clearly not twinkling and showed a hint of yellow/orange. Saturn was also viewed with its rings now slightly tilted for the first time this year with Titan to the West. Artcturus, the Spring marker, was also seen rising in the East for the first time

25th February

House visit: 11 pupils from SU Shell walked up to the Dome. It was cloudy, wet and thoroughly unpleasant

Next House visit: Thursday 11th March (LI)

22nd February

External visit: 18 cubs (yrs 3 to 5) from 1st Ramsbury pack visited the dome with 6 adults. Sadly the sky was cloudy

4th February

House visit: 11 Shell pupils from C1 came up to the Dome. Sadly it was cloudy

Next House visit: Thursday 25th February (SU)

1st February

French Exchange visit: 15 students from Lysee Jaques Monod and 3 teachers visited the Dome in the afternoon. The Sun was visible in solar goggles and behind cloud in the 10 inch. In the clear gaps the new Cycle 24 sunspot group 1043 was seen

Public lecture: CEB gave the lecture 'Impact Earth - The threat of asteroid collisions' at Green Templeton College in Oxford to a full house of visitors and academics as part of the annual lecture series 'Astronomy for All'

21st January

House visit: For the first time this year minibus access was possible and allowed 10 pupils (depleted by illness) from MM Shell to attend the Dome. The sky was clouded over, but the Dome was free from ice

Next House visit: Thursday 4th February (C1)

More news...

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