The Blackheath observing season has had some busy nights over the years, but this one? This was something else. Over 250 visitors, more than 20 telescopes, and a constant flow of people eager to get a glimpse of the planets. It was easily one of the most well-attended nights we’ve had in a long time.
The weather call was tricky. Sunday looked like it had slightly better conditions, but experience tells us that Saturday nights always get a bigger crowd. The forecast showed a high haze creeping in, which meant deep-sky objects were going to be tough - but with the media banging on about a so-called “planetary parade”, we knew we’d have plenty to show. Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and the crescent Moon would be bright enough to punch through the haze. So, decision made - we were going ahead.
Setting Up & Early Views
I arrived just before 6pm, and Alec was almost set up and ready to go - no surprises there. His first target? Venus, sitting low in the sky, a tiny 14% illuminated crescent. Through the eyepiece, it looked like a cosmic grin. Or, depending on your mood, a cosmic grimace.
By 6:15pm, we just about managed to catch Mercury lurking near the horizon - a shaky, flickering sight through the murky sky. It didn’t hang around long, though, and quickly dipped out of view. Saturn was a non-starter, already too low, and Neptune? Less than 10 degrees above the horizon in London haze? Not a chance.
The Crowds Roll In
By 6:30pm, over a dozen scopes were set up, and people started arriving in droves. And they just kept coming. By the time we officially kicked off at 7pm, it was the busiest I’d seen Blackheath in years - easily on par with our BBC Sky at Night event from back in the day.
With 20+ scopes spread out, there was plenty for visitors to look through. I tried to chat to as many people as possible - pointing out the planets, explaining the ecliptic, showing how to find Mars, Jupiter, and the Moon, and generally doing my best to keep up with the endless stream of questions.
The Telescopes & The Team
Our volunteers absolutely smashed it. The range of equipment on display was fantastic, and everyone was in full flow, explaining what people were seeing. I barely touched my own gear - there was too much going on.
As usual, Tej’s SCT scope, Mark’s “planet killer,” and Phil’s Tak had some of the longest queues, but there wasn’t a single telescope sitting idle. Les told me he hadn’t stopped talking all night, and when I finally got a chance to catch up with Matt, he was still busy showing people views through his small Mak. Yvonne was chatting about images from her Seestar S50, Tim had a small refractor with a guide camera, and it was great to see Richard back with his Seestar as well.
Apologies to anyone I’ve missed - it was chaos (the good kind), and I couldn’t get around to everyone!
The End of the Night
Even past 10pm, we still had people huddled around scopes, reluctant to pack up. Tej and Mark were the last ones standing, still pointing at the planets, while a few of us were taking in the last views of the Moon before calling it a night.
What’s Next?
We go again in four weeks, with our final Blackheath session of the 2024/25 season set for Saturday, 29 March. After that, we switch gears to solar viewing at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, before kicking off the 2025/26 Blackheath sessions in September.
What a night. What a team. Let’s do it all again soon.
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