Sky Watch: Stuart Atkinson's night sky blog from the Westmorland Gazette

Early June displays this bright suggest a remarkable summer lies ahead

8:40am Friday 14th June 2013

THIS year's noctilucent cloud season is already shaping up to be something very special.

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It was the best display I've seen for more than two years

8:10am Tuesday 4th June 2013

THE 2013 Noctilucent Cloud season has begun.

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Venus remains on the celestial dancefloor

1:00pm Monday 27th May 2013

I HOPE you managed to watch ‘The Dance of The Planets’ last weekend, when Venus, Jupiter and Mercury all came together in the north western sky after sunset.

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Mercury, Venus and Jupiter together in the twilight

8:00am Wednesday 22nd May 2013

OVER the next week or so we'll be able to see a real treat unfolding in the north west after sunset.

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Partial eclipse of the Moon coming up

6:10pm Monday 22nd April 2013

THERE is a partial eclipse of the Moon on Thursday, April 25, but to be honest it's going to be so underwhelming that if it's cloudy we won't miss much.

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Comet Panstarrs is past its best but the International Space Station returns to the night sky

8:10am Thursday 11th April 2013

Comet Panstarrs is still visible in the north west after sunset.

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To spot the comet first look for a very obvious ‘W’ of stars

6:10pm Tuesday 2nd April 2013

STRANGELY, although Comet Panstarrs is now fading, it's actually becoming easier to see.

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See a gold-coloured star with a short misty tail curving away - that's the comet!

5:00pm Wednesday 27th March 2013

ALTHOUGH it is fading now as it moves away from us, it's still possible to see Comet Panstarrs in the evening sky.

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Try looking for Comet Panstarrs on the next clear night - it'll be gone from our sky soon

5:40pm Tuesday 19th March 2013

If you are one of the hundred or so people who joined us at Kendal Castle for our Comet Watch, thank you.

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Look and see if you can spot a small fuzzy ‘fan’ of light

8:00am Thursday 14th March 2013

HAVING delighted skywatchers in the southern hemisphere, Comet Panstarrs has now rounded the Sun and is visible in the northern sky at last.

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Comet Panstarrs will be visible in the west after sunset this week

10:00am Wednesday 6th March 2013

Comets are big space icebergs which melt if they are near the Sun.

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Saturn looks like a golden star

7:00pm Monday 25th February 2013

FIRST the good news: the planet Saturn has returned to our sky.

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Next bright comets in night sky in March

5:10pm Wednesday 9th January 2013

WELL, 2012 was a very frustrating year for skywatchers.

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Come and join us and make friends with the night sky

8:00am Friday 4th January 2013

OVER the next week the BBC is celebrating astronomy and the night sky with its Stargazing Live programmes.

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Sirius shines like a diamond

6:00pm Thursday 27th December 2012

IF YOU are out and about around midnight on New Year's Eve, and can still focus your eyes, take a look to the south before Big Ben's bells announce the start of 2013.

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Shooting stars put on dazzling display

9:58am Monday 10th December 2012

CROSS your fingers for a clear sky on Thursday night.

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Attention skywatchers - checkout the 'sundogs'

10:00am Wednesday 21st November 2012

Now the weather has turned decidedly nippy, it's time for all you skywatchers out there to pay more attention to the sky during the daytime.

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Hyades star cluster is dominated by bright star of Aldebaran

10:37am Monday 12th November 2012

JUPITER is now visible in the east soon after sunset, looking like a very bright, icy blue-white star.

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This week there's a bright celestial fly past

5:30pm Tuesday 6th November 2012

THERE is a real treat in store for early risers or insomniacs this coming week, as the Moon and Venus come together, and then pass, in the eastern sky before dawn.

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Jupiter beams like a brilliant jewel

7:00pm Monday 29th October 2012

IF THE sky is clear on Hallowe'en night, look to the east after 10pm for a suitably spooky sight.

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