Dark skies shine: Stargazing and skywatching in Shetland

Shetland-based photographer Richard Ashbee knows all about how stunning the night skies can be – and how to capture stunning images. All dates and events referred to in this post are in 2025.

As we move through September, longer nights return to Shetland, which means there is lots of skywatching to look forward to during the run-up to Christmas.

Shetland has many dark sites, and these are the best places to see these astronomical events between September and December.

Get as far away from any light pollution as possible and aim for nights with a new moon. This is because moonlight can also make it difficult to see the fainter objects. Follow this rule, and in most cases, you will then be able to see many of these events with the naked eye.

A small pair of 8x40 binoculars will help get a closer look at the detail. Binoculars will give you a far wider field of view than a telescope and are much cheaper and more portable.

Perhaps the first object to look at is the moon, since it is so easy to find and focus on and is one of the most rewarding objects to study. You will be able to pick out craters and mountains, especially towards the shadow line.

Perhaps the worst time to look is when the moon is full, as there are fewer shadows and it is so bright it can be dazzling.

Try and find some support when using binoculars to improve the experience. Some have built in image stabilisation, and others should be supported by finding a post or gate, or you might be able to attach them to a tripod. This will allow you to see sharp detail.

As in the rest of the UK, lunar eclipses can be viewed from Shetland. The absence of city lights makes Shetland a good location, and we can look forward to a total lunar eclipse on 7 September.

It is different to the total lunar eclipse we had in March, when the totality was reached as the moon set, whereas this time, the moon will rise in totality. If you’re in Shetland at the time, head to the east side of the county for 19.45 BST, just as the sun is setting.

You won’t have long to see the eclipse, as it will only last until the moon clears the horizon.

Although only a brief view, totality just lasting 6 ½ mins, the moon will turn a legendary blood red, which has excited people’s minds for centuries. Head to the east with a clear view of the horizon for the best chance of seeing this special event.

If you miss this event, there will be other chances as partial eclipses are not uncommon in Shetland, although the next total eclipse won’t be until the end of December 2028.

The day after the eclipse, the moon will be close to Saturn, best seen shortly after midnight. By 14 September, the moon will be in the last quarter, and two days later it will pass close to Jupiter. A new moon will occur on 21/22 September, which is the Autumnal Equinox.

In October, Venus can be seen early in the morning at the beginning of the month, but harder to see by the end of the month. Mars is not visible at all this month, but another bright morning planet is Jupiter, seen better towards the end of the month.

By 20^th November, the Moon will be at its farthest point from Earth at 406,693 km from Earth. But this is a good pointer for the following day with a thin crescent Moon close to Mars. Saturn will be close to the Moon on 29 November in the early evening sky.

November is a great month to see the Milky Way arching overhead, a sight not to be missed, and I was blown away the first time I saw this in Shetland under the clear dark skies.

The denser star clouds are found in the west. This is a good time to see Cassiopeia, which is high overhead in the Milky Way, so make sure you take your binoculars with you. Look for a bright `W’ constellation.

Andromeda is easy to see at this time and is a spiral galaxy located 2.5million light-years from Earth, making it the nearest galaxy to the Milky Way. It is one of the few galaxies that can be seen with the naked eye. It looks like a milky blur in the night sky, but it will look great through binoculars.

At some time or other, nearly everyone has seen a meteor – a ‘shooting star’ as it flashes across the night sky.

Perhaps the Orionids, which peak on the 20-21 October, are the most famous as they are associated with Comet Halley; these are fast-moving at around 15 per hour.

Several meteor showers occur during the period running up to the end of December. Perhaps the best is the Geminids, which can be seen from 4-20 December, with the peak occurring on 14 December.

These meteors or debris enter the Earth’s atmosphere at around 70km per hour, with around 120 meteors per hour. These are bright, some with trains and often colourful, mostly white but also blue, red, and a few green and yellow. These colours are caused by traces of metals like sodium or calcium.

The best time to see these is just before midnight, looking north. Because they are made of denser, rocky material and are slower than most meteors, they last the longest.

For those astrophotographers out there, grab your camera and tripod. If you have a selection of lenses, a wide-angle lens will be good to capture the Milky Way and meteors.

You never know when a meteor might be visible so it is best to set up a time-lapse. Set the speed to 25 seconds with the lens wide open.

When the Geminids are active, the moon will be in its last quarter and rising early morning, so will not be a problem for photographers. Set the ISO to around 1600.

The Geminids shower’s radiant originates in the northeast. If you point your camera here, the meteor trails will be short as they are head-on. For better images, set the camera for repeat photos, taking one after another and aim it to the east or southeast; the further from the radiant, the longer they will appear.

What makes an autumn or winter visit to Shetland special? Head to the Seasons pages to explore the possibilities.