{"id":42411,"date":"2023-03-09T09:51:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-09T09:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/?p=116774"},"modified":"2023-03-09T10:32:34","modified_gmt":"2023-03-09T10:32:34","slug":"when-is-the-best-time-to-see-the-stars","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/when-is-the-best-time-to-see-the-stars\/","title":{"rendered":"When is the best time to see the stars?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this archive article, the late Patrick Moore reveals his favourite times of year to observe the night sky. <\/p>

By Patrick Moore\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 09 March 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

T<\/span>he question has often been asked: \u201cWhich is the best season of the year for astronomical observing \u2013 spring, summer, autumn or winter?\u201d<\/p>\n

This sounds like quite a simple question to answer but it isn\u2019t. There are so many factors to be taken into account, when trying to decide the best time to go stargazing or when to observe planets or deep-sky objects through your telescope.<\/p>\n

In some countries, of course, things are much easier because you can have a very good idea of what the weather is going to do.<\/p>\n

Read our guide to the best constellations, season-by-season<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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Composite image of Mercury transiting across the sun on 9 May, 2016, as seen by HMI on NASA\u2019s Solar Dynamics Obersvatory. Credit: NASA\/SDO<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Even so, there can be disappointments. I remember that years ago I was at Port Elizabeth, in South Africa, where there is a good observatory.<\/p>\n

A transit of Mercury<\/a> was due and I had never seen one before. At that time of the year Port Elizabeth always has clear skies. I was there for six weeks and during that time there was one cloudy day \u2013 the day of the transit.<\/p>\n

Of course, our weather in the British Isles is quite unpredictable.<\/p>\n

Some areas have more cloud and rain than others. But when it comes to the weather nothing can ever be planned and there is very little that the observer can do about it.<\/p>\n

Moreover, we have to put up with the ever-increasing menace of light pollution<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Light pollution<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Light pollution is hiding the dimmest stars from our night sky. Credit: Dneutral Han \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Anyone who lives in a city or large town will never see the Milky Way<\/a> and telescopically will probably have to confine themselves to studying the Sun \u2013 unless they have a good portable travel telescope<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Things on this front are better than they used to be as some really good telescopes are small enough and light enough to fit into a car.<\/p>\n

Even so, the sky is always polluted to some extent when the electricity is on.<\/p>\n

I remember one occasion when a power cut blacked out the whole of the south of England.<\/p>\n

For several hours the sky was inky black and I could see stars that were normally too faint for me to see without optical aid.<\/p>\n

There was, of course, a snag. I made haste to my observatory and opened the dome, expecting to enjoy myself \u2013 but I had forgotten that the drive of my 15-inch reflector was electric.<\/p>\n

Muttering things that I will not write down here, I closed the dome and waited patiently for the power.<\/p>\n

A word on astronomical seeing<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Patrick Moore pictured in the observatory in the garden of his home at Selsey, Sussex, December 1973. Photo by Carl Bruin\/Mirrorpix\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

My home is in Selsey, near the tip of the Bill; I am only just out of spray range.<\/p>\n

In fact this area has a sort of microclimate and is generally a degree or two warmer than most other places, with less rain.<\/p>\n

This includes the Bill, Bognor Regis and a slice of the coast of the Isle of Wight (which is why King George V went to Bognor to recover and made that unfortunate remark about it).<\/p>\n

My main interest is with the Moon and planets, and my ideal is a very steady atmosphere.<\/p>\n

I do not in the least mind a bit of mist; it calms the air down. Over the years I have found that mist can most often give me a spell with seeing<\/a> at Antoniadi I.<\/p>\n

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As incoming cold fronts replace warmer air, they create convection currents that can cause seeing conditions to rapidly deteriorate<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

The Antoniadi scale gives five grades of seeing, from I (well nigh perfect) down to V (so poor that observing would probably not be attempted except for some special purposes, such as an occultation<\/a>).<\/p>\n

A glorious sky, with stars blazing down and twinkling strongly, may be useless from my point of view \u2013 but certainly not to deep-sky enthusiasts, such as nova hunters.<\/p>\n

We depend upon our chosen targets being available and there are dead periods; for instance Mars is virtually out of view for long periods and we lose the Moon for part of each month \u2013 to the joy, I admit, of the nova hunters!<\/p>\n

But there are always plenty of stars around.<\/p>\n

Stargazing in summer<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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The Summer Triangle asterism and meteors. Credit: davidhajnal \/ Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Summer has its advantages but there are fewer hours of darkness and at full Moon<\/a>, or a night or two either side, there is no real darkness at all.<\/p>\n

I am speaking about Selsey, however, and naturally I realise the situation is different elsewhere: north Scotland, for example.<\/p>\n

I am not too bothered, because the planets at least are often well seen with steady air and a lightish sky.<\/p>\n

Catch Mars at dusk or dawn and the image can often be really good.<\/p>\n

Stellar observers cannot operate properly under these conditions and they positively hate the Moon, which is understandable!<\/p>\n

For me, summer nights are very variable but every now and then we do have a succession of exceptionally clear \u2018astrometric\u2019 nights.<\/p>\n