FOR the next two weeks, if you glimpse even a hint of a gap in the clouds to the west after sunset, you'll notice two bright stars shining close together. These stars are actually a pair of planets - Jupiter and Venus, and they're slowly moving closer and closer together in the twilight.
Jupiter, on the left, is the fainter of the two but is still obvious to the naked eye. Lower and to its right, Venus is much brighter, proving it deserves its nickname the Evening Star. On June 30 these two planets will be exceptionally close in the sky after sunset, but it's already fun and fascinating to watch them approaching each other as the days pass.
And although we've only had one average display so far, it's worth looking out for silvery-blue noctilucent clouds low in the north around and after midnight. There must be a spectacular display soon!
Stuart Atkinson
Eddington AS of Kendal
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