Bad news, everyone. Comet Ison will not be putting on a beautiful display in the sky as we had all hoped. During its fly around of the Sun last Thursday it basically disintegrated, and all that emerged from the Sun's glare was a cloud of dust that is thinning and spreading apart as I write this. There'll be nothing to see with the naked eye at all now, and even a telescope will only show a faint, ghostly blur.
But there are still some lovely sights in the sky. Another comet, Lovejoy, is now getting brighter, and may be a naked eye object by next week. More about that then. Meanwhile, Venus is shining brilliantly in the south west after sunset, getting a little brighter every day. If you have a really good pair of binoculars, or a small telescope, you'll be able to see Venus as a crescent, looking like a miniature version of a young Moon.
Looking to the east after 6pm you'll see Jupiter climbing up into the sky. To its upper left are two bright stars - Castor and Pollux, the Twins of Gemini.
Stuart Akinson
Eddington Astronomical Society of Kendal
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here