Launch has been scrubbed – New launch date and time TBD.
The launch will now take place on Saturday July 11th at 19:00 BST. Watch the launch live below and then watch it pass over the UK after.
During the Coronavirus lockdown many of the UK public have been looking up each evening. Above all, they have seen meteors the ISS and trains of SpaceX Starlink satellites fly over their homes.
On Saturday 11th July 2020 we are in for a treat. We can watch a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch a new batch of Starlink satellites live from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It may be possible to watch it and its payload of 57 Starlink satellites pass over the UK after launch. If the launch goes ahead, it may be visible 15 minutes after launch in the UK.
During the Coronavirus lockdown many of the UK public have been looking up each evening to see Meteors, Satellites, Planets, The International Space Station and more. Many have acquired a new found love of the night sky.
If you have been joining in or even just started looking up, you are in for an amazing treat!
UPDATE
On 27 May 2020 at 21:33 UK time (20:33 GMT) A SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket was set to blast off from Cape Canaveral Florida. Unfortunately, bad weather just before the craft was due to blast off scrubbed the launch.
The launch is now scheduled for Saturday May 30 at 20:22 UK time (19:22 GMT).
The mighty rocket will be carrying two Astronauts to the International Space Station inside a new Crew Dragon Spacecraft. This is the first ever commercial launch of Astronauts into space by a private company, SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2.
You can watch the launch live below. After lift off, you may be able to see the Crew Dragon spacecraft on its first orbit passing over the United Kingdom. An unmissable and historic sight!
On May 20 at 17:30 GMT 18:30 UK time a Japanese H-2B rocket will launch a JAXA/HTV9 cargo chip from Tanegashima, Japan with equipment and supplies to the International Space Station.
A Family Night Out Under The Stars. Credit: @CakeyHayley
The Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower is active from April 19th to May 28th. The peak of the shower is on the evenings of May 4th and 5th. There is activity a few days ether side of peak in 2020.
The Eta Aquariids are an annual meteor shower best seen in the southern hemisphere. This is due to the location of the showers radiant near the water jar in the constellation of Aquarius. The radiant doesn’t appear above the horizon in the Uk until just before dawn this time of year.
Starlink Launch – The launch has now been postponed until a date to be confirmed in June. Initially the launch was planned for May 17th 2020. SpaceX planned launching another batch of 60 Starlink satellites. You can watch the launch live from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Details to be confirmed.
This will be the 8th launch to date. Bringing the grand total so far to 480 Starlink Satellites in orbit.
The launch window is 03:10 a.m. EDT (07:10 GMT) 08:10 a.m. UK time. The time and date can change at short notice due to weather or technical issues. This will postpone the launch for a later time or date.
North Star – One of the first things to find when you start out Stargazing is find the North Star.
The North Star is literally the star that indicates north. When you are looking at it you are facing north. This makes it probably one of the most important stars to learn and find in the night sky.
When you have found the North Star, you can get your bearings and find all other directions to look in.
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