Dia. 1 The sky looking east at 06h 30m on November 1st. Click the image for enlargement.

Fig. 4 Venus and Jupiter imaged 24 October at 05h 48m GMT (UT) from Rousay looking due east; 8 sec. exposure, 27mm F/3.5 ISO 640. Note: most of the constellation Leo is visible above right. Click the image for enlargement

Fig.5 Jupiter, Venus and the Lion Rampant. 2004 Nov. 2 at 05 am. Looking SEE, Rousay, Orkney. A 10 sec. exposure 28mm F/3.5 400 ISO. John Vetterlein.

Fig. 6 Jupiter, Venus, the Lion Rampant and shades of the waning Moon. 2004 Nov. 5 at 05 30 am. Looking SEE, Rousay, Orkney. A 15 sec. exposure 28mm F/3.5 400 ISO. John Vetterlein.

Venus/Jupiter conjunction

Venus will pass above Jupiter between the 5th and 6th November. They will be best observed before dawn on the 5th.

The separation will be a little over 30 arc minutes, or about the apparent diameter of the Moon. Venus will appear about five times as bright as Jupiter; Mars, appearing a little fainter than Regulus, will also been in the vicinity.

The two planets make a spectacular pair in the morning sky at present but as may be seen from the image taken on the morning of the 24th October, Venus is moving rapidly towards the Sun.

Even so, the planet will remain visible in the morning sky until well into December.

Dia.1 shows the sky looking east on the morning of November 1 at 06h 30m. (Remember, the clocks should be put back one hour on the 30/31 October.)

Dark Skies?

When I first became interested in astronomy as a young lad over fifty years ago it was considered a minority interest. It was certainly not taught as a separate subject in British schools and featured hardly at all anywhere in the curriculum.

Today things are somewhat different. No doubt mankind's invasion of space has a lot to do with a more general interest in matters astronomical.

Despite this, much of what I would call the basics of our subject remains a mystery to most people.

Another contributory factor to a practical interest in astronomy has been the revolution in electronics and the production of high class optical systems at an affordable price. In my youth I was fortunate enough to acquire a Cooke 135mm photovisual refracting telescope.

This instrument (fig 1) with its mounting weighs in the region of 3 cwt (150 kilograms). Today a refractor of similar aperture, and weighing far less, could be purchased new for a fraction of the price I paid for the Cooke.

Fig. 1 Cooke 135mm photovisual refracting telescope, Brentwood, 1958. Note: all controls for clamping and slow motion in RA and Dec. at eye end. Silver engraved circles reading to 5 sec. in time and 1 arc minute (declination).

Fig. 2 The Milky Way imaged 9 Sep. 2004, 22h 30m (exp. 4 min.); 27mm F/3.5 ISO 640. The bright star far right centre is Vega.

Fig. 3 The Milky Way imaged 9 Sep. 2004, 21h 50m (exp. 4 min.); 27mm F/3.5 ISO 640. The bright star mid-lower is Altair; region above Scutum above trees. Note: orange sky glow from street lighting etc. in region of Rousay jetty - distance 1200 metres.

Against this one has to point out that in the 1950s one did not have the problems we face today in the form of light pollution and aircraft condensation trails, not to mention the ubiquitous artificial satellite trails (see last month).

I have been encouraged recently to learn that folk in some of the islands have shown concern over light pollution.

On a clear, moonless night we in sticks can still enjoy the spectacle of the Milky Way (Fig 2).

However, it takes very little light scatter from any source, particularly street and industrial lights, to mar the view (Fig 3).

We in Orkney face a number of threats to our night skies.

Already lighting from Kirkwall and Stromness has increased markedly over the past fifteen years or so, as has the extension of island jetties and the growth of the Hatston Industrial Estate.

In addition one is now faced with lighting, often very intense, at sea from oil rigs, fish farms, support vessels and the like.

One of my chief concerns would be the impact on the night sky from the container hub if it ever comes to fruition.

Only through public awareness and a willingness to speak out will we have any hope of saving our night skies.

JV 04/10/04