Charlotte Daniels looks ahead to this year’s standout observing events, which neither visual astronomers nor imagers will want to miss
Our Solar System’s array of planets and moons provides us with a diversity of astronomical displays throughout 2022 thanks to each planet’s distinct orbit around the Sun and their changing proximities to Earth. When it comes to visual observing and astrophotography, our view of the planets changes from year to year, much more so than with deep-sky objects.
The next 12 months hold much promise for UK astronomers, with some unique planetary events and much more to look out for besides. Whether you’re new to visual astronomy, an avid astrophotographer or a seasoned observer, there will be something for anyone with an interest in the night sky. Read on to find out how to prepare for a year of conjunctions, oppositions – and an increasing chance of aurora too.
Aurora in UK skies
With the Sun in a more active phase of its solar cycle there’s hope for more displays
When: First quarter of 2022 Equipment to use: Can be seen with the naked eye, but a DSLR camera and wide-angle lens is recommend
The Aurora Borealis is best viewed from polar locations such as Greenland and Northern Scandinavia. This is because Earth’s magnetic field draws electrons from solar winds towards the poles to form the Auroral Oval at high northern latitudes. Occasionally, it can be seen from northern parts of the UK. But, due to the increasing solar activity, we may see the aurora creeping further south this year.
Indeed, 2021 finished on a high for aurora hunters in the UK, as a substantial X1-class solar flare in October allowed astronomers in Norfolk and Wales to catch a glimpse. Auroral activity usually peaks around the spring equinox, plus we’re seeing further activity due to the Sun’s current position in the solar cycle.
Why is this? Well, the aurora is driven by the Sun; the more ‘active’ it is in terms of sunspots and solar flares, the greater the likelihood of a visible display. This is because sunspots eject the solar energy that causes aurora; the more sunspots observed, the more intense the flare activity.
The Sun goes through ‘cycles’ of activity, each one lasting about 11 years, during which we experience peaks and troughs; the last peak occurred in 2014.
The current cycle, Solar Cycle 25, began in December 2019 and is expected to peak in 2025.
Get prepared
Observing the aurora is both a matter of timing and luck; a solar flare needs to hit at the right time and intensity for us to see it. Events are difficult to intensity for us to see it. Events are difficult to predict beyond a few hours, so check monitoring websites at the earliest mention of solar activity. Key ones to follow include AuroraWatch UK on Facebook and www.aurora-service.eu.
To stand the best chance of seeing a display, head for a location with a clear northern horizon. It should be as free from light pollution as possible, because the aurora is usually quite faint in the UK. Coastlines can provide a good clear northern view and remember, displays will be closer to the horizon the further south you are.
The aurora ‘in real-life’ looks different to how they’re portrayed in images. From Britain, displays don’t appear as vibrant dancing ribbons.
Instead, they appear as spikes or pillars, and will be a subdued green colour. Really strong displays will show red elements higher up.
You can pick up further details by imaging the aurora. Any camera (or smartphone) that has a ‘manual’ mode can be used, so that you can alter the light sensitivity and exposure settings. Because aurora displays move, limit long exposure times to avoid fuzzy images – 10 seconds is a good start.
A conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
Other planets will join the display during this summer’s appulse
When: 19 July 2022 Equipment to use: Binoculars for the conjunction; a high-powered telescope to see the three planets; a DSLR camera to get creative.
Conjunctions provide a unique opportunity to observe planets near another celestial body, be that the Moon or another planet. In July, we’ll see Jupiter get 2°13’ to a waning gibbous Moon (60 per cent illuminated). Look up at the night sky to the southeast on 19 July and the two bodies will be the equivalent of a couple of little finger-widths apart. Their proximity is best appreciated by eye or with a pair of binoculars. Even though Jupiter and the Moon will be passing close together visually, they are still too far apart to fit in the same field of view with a small telescope.
While the night sky won’t be fully dark, both objects are easy to spot. At about 3am, you should be able to catch Jupiter and the Moon close together, with Saturn and Mars also up. Even better, the Milky Way will be directly overhead, with the core lying to the southwest. The straight-ish line the planets form will provide an opportunity for some wide-field astrophotography too. By eye, Saturn and Mars glow a soft reddish orange, making it easy for amateur astronomers to locate them.
Get prepared
Head to a location with clear horizons to the southeast on the 19th. The Moon and Jupiter will appear in the same field of view in a pair of lowpower binoculars; however, due to the planetary activity it would be a good idea to bring a wide-aperture telescope as well to get the best views from your observing session, when the gas giant is part-obscured behind the Moon’s limb.
If you’re planning on some wide-field photography, any DSLR with a wide-field lens (14-35mm) will do the trick. Longer focal length lenses can still be used – pan across the view to create a panorama and capture the planets either side of the conjunction. You could also use the conjunction to try capturing a composite image.
Take some images of the Moon with shorter exposures, and combine them with slightly longer exposures for Saturn, Mars and the Milky Way to create a more complete picture of the event.
Don’t miss!
Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for Jupiter on 26 September, when it reaches opposition. Cast your eyes to the south at midnight and with the naked eye you may see Jupiter as a bright white star. If the seeing is fair, even the smallest aperture telescope will allow you to see some surface detail, including bands.
Saturn at its brightest
A relatively close approach allows Saturn to show off its amazing features
When: 14 August 2022 Equipment to use: Identifiable by eye from its golden colour. Telescopes will bring out detail, anything from a small refractor (70–80mm diameter) to a long-focal length reflector. Use planetary cameras for imaging.
One of the most interesting planets to observe, Saturn reaches opposition in August, when it appears large and bright. Opposition occurs when Earth lies directly between the Sun and a planet – indeed, the Moon is at opposition whenever it’s at full phase.
It’s because of this full illumination that it is so well presented. Saturn reaches opposition roughly every year, and on this occasion it’ll be 8.86 AU (1.32 billion km) from Earth; that’s 320 million km closer than the farthest it will be in 2022, 11 AU (1.64 billion km).
Saturn’s opposition will allow observers a clear view of its northern hemisphere and ring structure. If atmospheric seeing allows and you have the equipment to achieve high magnifications, expect to see structure in the rings (such as the Cassini Division) and colouring or bands on the surface.
The great thing about Saturn, especially at times of opposition, is that even a smaller refractor in the region of 80mm will bring its rings and some level of detail into view with low-magnification eyepieces. Binoculars won’t, however; they’ll allow you to appreciate the colour, but not the detail. Because Saturn will be illuminated, its icy rings will brighten significantly – an occurence known as the Seeliger effect. This is a phenomenon that can be appreciated by both imagers and observers.
Get prepared
Saturn will be visible all night on 14 August, starting at twilight in the southeast. But it’s best viewed or imaged around midnight, when it culminates at an altitude of around 20˚ in the south. Opposition gives astronomers the perfect opportunity to observe and image delicate details, however Saturn is heavily influenced by atmospheric conditions. If the seeing is poor, use lower magnification eyepieces to avoid unwanted distortion. We recommend starting with a 25–30mm eyepiece to locate it, and then stepping up eyepiece magnification until you struggle to focus or obtain a clean image.
Smaller refractors will allow you to see the rings and some level of detail at opposition using mediumto high-powered eyepieces. Some of Saturn’s brighter moons should also be visible, including Enceladus. Binoculars will resolve the shape, however the rings will not be discernible from Saturn’s disc, and could appear as ‘ears’ instead.
If you live in a light-polluted area, don’t worry. Planets are bright and still give a pleasing view, although you will lose a nice dark background for contrast, and views of the moons.
Occultations of Uranus and Mars
Two of Earth’s neighbours perform disappearing acts during December
When: Uranus – 5 December 2022 and Mars – 8 December 2022
Equipment to use: For Uranus, long focal-length telescopes with large apertures (200mm+) are needed to ensure it appears larger than a speck. Use high frame-rate planetary cameras for imaging. For Mars, a reflecting telescope (125mm+) will show details before the Moon washes out too much detail. Consider moving to a lower magnification telescope and eyepiece for the occultation.
December welcomes two lunar occultations within a few days of each other, when two different planets pass behind the Moon, ‘disappearing’ on one side before ‘reappearing’ on the other. Because of parallax, occultations are location dependent; one place may see it, while others won’t because their view of the event can put the two objects further apart.
First, watch as Uranus disappears behind the Moon due east, in the constellation of Aries, the Water- Bearer. Catch it about an hour after sunset. While not fully dark, UK astronomers should be able to see it.
To find Uranus as it occults, pop an RA of 02h52m40s and a dec. of 16˚08’N into your Go-To. If you are looking at the Moon as a clock face, Uranus will disappear at the 10 o’clock position, at 16:46 UT. It then reappears at 17:23 UT in the 1 o’clock position.
Mars‘s lunar occultation follows early on 8 December, when the Moon is at full illumination. Mars will also be at opposition, at 0.54 AU (81 million km) from Earth. The relative distance between Mars and Earth won’t be as small as this again until May 2031, making December 2022 one of the standout occasions to view Mars through a telescope in many years! UK observers can see both the disappearance and reappearance of Mars, meaning a good opportunity for imagers to capture a composite sequence.
Set your alarm for about 04:30 UT and look to the west, where the Moon will be at an altitude of 29˚ between Taurus, the Bull and Auriga, the Charioteer. Mars disappears at 04:55 UT and reappears at 05:56 UT while the Moon is still 20˚ above the horizon.
Get prepared
Expect Uranus to appear as a tiny blue-green disc; it’s challenging not only due to its distance, it’s also not as illuminated by the Sun as the inner planets. A 94 per cent illuminated Moon may disrupt views as the planet gets closer. Imagers can vary short exposures to capture both bodies, boosting ISO or gain to increase signal from Uranus. Don’t expect to capture surface detail without infrared filters.
Because Mars is also at opposition, observers and planetary imagers might want to make a night of it and view Mars from 20:00 UT on 7 December. Find a clear western horizon to capture the full occultation early the following morning; Mars disappears at the 10 o’clock position and reappears at about 4 o’clock.
2022’s top deep-sky target: Markarian’s Chain
This meandering line of galaxies makes for an excellent imaging target
When: Most visible March to June 2022 Equipment to use: A 75mm refractor to 200mm reflector should provide excellent views. To capture the whole chain, a DSLR and long lens (300mm focal length) does the job nicely.
A great spring and early summer target, Markarian’s Chain is unique in that it’s just a small part of the huge Virgo Cluster of galaxies; if you point your scope in its vague direction, you will doubtless land on a galaxy-rich landscape. Markarian’s Chain is a string of large spiral and lenticular galaxies. The main belt is made up of seven bright galaxies including M84 and M86. There is also a pair of interacting Galaxies (NGC4435 and NGC4438) known as Markarian’s Eyes. Other dimmer galaxies float alongside.
You’ll be able to pick up brighter parts of the chain with a pair of 100mm binoculars in dark skies, but a telescope is better. Markarian’s Chain can be viewed with a small refractor to see the whole chain, however you will still see the brighter galaxies as fuzzy white blobs. Medium power eyepieces of around 15mm focal length allow you to get in a little closer. For detail, use a longer focal length and a larger aperture such as a 200–250mm reflector, and hop from galaxy to galaxy along the chain.
Where Markarian’s Chain really comes into its own is as an imaging target; a DSLR tagged onto the end of a 70mm refractor will capture it. Stacking about an hours’ worth of 1-2 minute exposures is a good start.
Get prepared
The Virgo Cluster consists of around 2,000 galaxies. Due to the cluster’s size and sheer number of objects in it, finding Markarian’s Chain can be problematic. A Go- To setup will help here, as you can search for one of the brighter galaxies – like M86 – to locate it. By eye, draw a straight line between the stars Denebola in Leo, the Lion, and Vindemiatrix in Virgo, the Virgin; the chain is about halfway between. Galaxies are delicate objects to observe, so ensure your eyes are fully dark adapted (at least 20 minutes) when observing.
A dark site will help reveal fainter galaxies in 150–200mm aperture telescopes. Larger galaxies will still be visible under mild light pollution but quickly get washed out as you climb up the Bortle scale into greater light pollution. Because of this, it’s also best to view at new and early Moon phases.
Charlotte Daniels is an amateur astronomer, astrophotographer and journalist