Planets, Meteors and Uninvited Fireworks – Blackheath Observing, 13 December 2025

I arrived on Blackheath to find a layer of persistent high haze, but it was thin enough that Saturn was already shining clearly in the south. That was encouraging. The atmosphere felt damp from the outset, though, and when Alec arrived by bike with his Vespera in a backpack, our first conversation was about how well - or otherwise - we’d manage the inevitable dew.

More volunteers soon followed. Richard arrived with his Seestars, Yvonne with her Seestar, Les with a Dwarf III, Eddie with his refractor, Sara with a Seestar, Hayden and Tony with binoculars, and Tej with his usual SCT. One or two others joined shortly after. It quickly became clear that we’d have a good mix of visual observing, smart telescopes and wide-field views.

I’d brought my 100/800 refractor, expecting Jupiter and Saturn to dominate the evening, and that proved to be the right choice. Saturn was superb through the eyepiece, with the rings now almost edge-on. Titan was obvious, while Rhea was a more subtle challenge, appearing only with careful viewing.

Lining up on Saturn. Picture by Alec Knox

As Jupiter climbed higher, we were joined by a steady stream of visitors. Over the course of the evening, I’d estimate around 50–60 people came along. There were plenty of families, Flamsteed members, and groups of passers-by - some stopping briefly, others staying for much of the session.

Jupiter did not disappoint. All four Galilean moons were visible, with Callisto on one side of the planet, Io closest in on the other, and Europa and Ganymede sitting close together. The equatorial bands were clear. The Great Red Spot was apparently in view, but I struggled to see it myself. It has faded and shrunk considerably over the years and now demands patience and very steady conditions.

A couple of visitors also asked to see Neptune. Conveniently, it was sitting close to Saturn in the sky and easy to locate. As ever, it appeared as a small, pale blue disc – a sight I often jokingly describe as underwhelming – but that didn’t seem to diminish the satisfaction of seeing another distant planet with their own eyes.

A good attendance, with 50-60 visitors over the course of the evening. Picture by Mike Meynell

M42, the Orion Nebula, was another highlight. The smart telescopes handled it effortlessly, but I spent some time observing it visually. The Trapezium stars were steady and well resolved, surrounded by a soft grey glow of nebulosity. Adding a visual OIII filter brought out much more structure, and Alec and I spent a good while teasing out detail, despite the challenging conditions.

The Pleiades proved popular throughout the evening. Tej viewed them visually, while the smart telescopes pulled out hints of surrounding nebulosity. Alec also managed some pleasing sub-frames of M33, the Triangulum Galaxy, which was a treat to see under urban skies.

Alec's image of M33 Triagulum Galaxy, taken during the event. 50 mins, 300 subs. Picture by Alec Knox

Away from the telescopes, the evening had its share of distractions. Fireworks were being set off a few hundred yards away, at irregular intervals. After one particularly intrusive burst, I made a comment about where the next one might be inserted if the interruptions continued. Fortunately, the fireworks soon subsided.

Another curiosity was the release of several Chinese lanterns from around the Clarendon Hotel on the far side of the heath. While I’m no fan of them for safety reasons, there’s no denying they made an attractive sight drifting slowly northwards across the heath. Let’s hope they landed safely.

Lanterns drifting over the heath. Picture by Richard Summerfield

Threaded through the whole evening was the peak of the Geminids meteor shower. I’d been sceptical about how many we’d see, given the light pollution and early haze, but as the cloud thinned, meteors became a regular talking point. Every few minutes, someone would spot one, prompting calls across the observing line.

By the end of the session, they were frequent enough that it was hard to miss them. I must have seen well over a dozen myself. When I eventually packed up - largely to rescue thoroughly damp equipment - several volunteers and visitors stayed on, scanning the sky for more.

Despite the moisture and interruptions, it was an excellent session and a fitting way to round off our 2025 Blackheath observing programme.

Our first event of 2026 is scheduled for Saturday 10 January, with weather back-up dates of 11, 17 and 18 January.

Pictures from the evening (by Alec Knox, Mike Meynell and Richard Summerfield):