How to spot Jupiter as it passes by the moon over the UK

An image of Jupiter with one of its moons, Io, in the foreground, taken by the Cassini probe in 2001 Nasa

Stargazers who look to the heavens on 24 February might be able to catch a glimpse of Jupiter appearing to pass close to the Moon.

Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, began a rendezvous with the Moon at the beginning of this week. 

It was particularly bright in the sky on 22 and 23 February, but it'll still be visible to the naked eye throughout the week.

Jupiter will appear above and to the right of the Moon on 24 February (Pic: Dominic Ford/In-the-sky.org)

You should be able to spot it in dark, clear skies in the evening, just below the Leo constellation and slightly above and to the right of the Moon.

The Moon can sometimes outshine stars that appear close to it, but because Jupiter is relatively near to Earth, it manages to remain visible

Jupiter is a favourite among stargazers, partly due to its moons - those with a small telescope, or even a powerful pair of binoculars, might be able to catch a glimpse of its largest satellites, Ganymede, Callisto, Io and Europa as they orbit around the planet.

Unfortunately, forecasts show most of the UK will be cloudy tonight, potentially obscuring the sight. However, there will be patches of clear sky around, especially over the Midlands.

If you don't get a chance to spot it tonight, you don't have to wait long  - on 21 March, Jupiter will once again be visible just above and to the left of the Moon.