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  #1  
Old 09-25-2022, 11:03 PM
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Earl Earl is offline
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Default Jupiter Close Approach, In Opposition

Jupiter will make its closest approach to Earth in 59 years tomorrow September 26 and will also be in opposition to the Sun as viewed from Earth. I don't 'do' astronomy to any real degree, but for those who do or who have a really good pair of binoculars, might be some good viewing. I do gaze at the planets and such with binoculars now and then and the other night I was able to see three of the four main moons of Jupiter.

Here's part of a NASA article on the subject:

===================================
"Stargazers can expect excellent views of Jupiter the entire night of Monday, Sept. 26 when the giant planet reaches opposition. From the viewpoint of Earth’s surface, opposition happens when an astronomical object rises in the east as the Sun sets in the west, placing the object and the Sun on opposite sides of Earth.

Jupiter’s opposition occurs every 13 months, making the planet appear larger and brighter than any other time of the year. But that’s not all. Jupiter will also make its closest approach to Earth since 1963 – almost six decades ago! This happens because Earth and Jupiter do not orbit the Sun in perfect circles – meaning the planets will pass each other at different distances throughout the year. Jupiter’s closest approach to Earth rarely coincides with opposition, which means this year’s views will be extraordinary. At its closest approach, Jupiter will be approximately 367 million miles in distance from Earth, about the same distance it was in 1963. The massive planet is approximately 600 million miles away from Earth at its farthest point."
===================================

Earl
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  #2  
Old 09-26-2022, 10:12 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl
Jupiter will make its closest approach to Earth in 59 years tomorrow September 26 and will also be in opposition to the Sun as viewed from Earth. I don't 'do' astronomy to any real degree, but for those who do or who have a really good pair of binoculars, might be some good viewing. I do gaze at the planets and such with binoculars now and then and the other night I was able to see three of the four main moons of Jupiter.

Here's part of a NASA article on the subject:

===================================
"Stargazers can expect excellent views of Jupiter the entire night of Monday, Sept. 26 when the giant planet reaches opposition. From the viewpoint of Earth’s surface, opposition happens when an astronomical object rises in the east as the Sun sets in the west, placing the object and the Sun on opposite sides of Earth.

Jupiter’s opposition occurs every 13 months, making the planet appear larger and brighter than any other time of the year. But that’s not all. Jupiter will also make its closest approach to Earth since 1963 – almost six decades ago! This happens because Earth and Jupiter do not orbit the Sun in perfect circles – meaning the planets will pass each other at different distances throughout the year. Jupiter’s closest approach to Earth rarely coincides with opposition, which means this year’s views will be extraordinary. At its closest approach, Jupiter will be approximately 367 million miles in distance from Earth, about the same distance it was in 1963. The massive planet is approximately 600 million miles away from Earth at its farthest point."
===================================

Earl

She's been really bright the last few weeks, high overhead around the time most folks hit the sack, and above the western horizon for those 5:00 risers like me when I'm on shift. Mars is peaking over the eastern horizon (my tree covered horizon anyway) around bedtime as well, and is showing up with some good deep rust color and brightness. Jupiter is challenging Venus for brightness, but since Venus isn't visible right now, I can't directly compare them. I'm sure Venus would still be brighter, but with Jupiter hanging up there in the middle of the sky with nothing remotely as bright, it is quite a sight. Rigel and Beteljeuse can't hold a candle, much less a sword, and Sirius seriously can't compare.
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  #3  
Old 09-26-2022, 10:58 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tbzep
She's been really bright the last few weeks, high overhead around the time most folks hit the sack, and above the western horizon for those 5:00 risers like me when I'm on shift. Mars is peaking over the eastern horizon (my tree covered horizon anyway) around bedtime as well, and is showing up with some good deep rust color and brightness. Jupiter is challenging Venus for brightness, but since Venus isn't visible right now, I can't directly compare them. I'm sure Venus would still be brighter, but with Jupiter hanging up there in the middle of the sky with nothing remotely as bright, it is quite a sight. Rigel and Beteljeuse can't hold a candle, much less a sword, and Sirius seriously can't compare.


Yes, I have been spotting Jupiter routinely out my front living room windows around 9-ish now for a number of weeks. Very bright. The past couple summers, it was in the southern sky quite often, with Saturn in the lead.

Earl
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Old 09-26-2022, 11:37 AM
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Earl, TB,

I set up the Televue 85mm refractor on the Vixen tripod/mount Friday.

Jupiter was bright! The Galilean moons were little pinpricks..
Jupiter's bands were visible/clearer while using averted vision.

Saturn was a little buttery ball, love the rings! Mars was a little red ball.

The Pleiades was pretty; for best results one really needs low power/wide view to observe
that star cluster.

Did it again Saturday. I saw several meteors, satellites, and the occasional airliner both
evenings.

8+hours per session; time well spent.

Bob
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  #5  
Old 09-26-2022, 01:50 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Blushingmule
Earl, TB,

I set up the Televue 85mm refractor on the Vixen tripod/mount Friday.

Jupiter was bright! The Galilean moons were little pinpricks..
Jupiter's bands were visible/clearer while using averted vision.

Saturn was a little buttery ball, love the rings! Mars was a little red ball.

The Pleiades was pretty; for best results one really needs low power/wide view to observe
that star cluster.

Did it again Saturday. I saw several meteors, satellites, and the occasional airliner both
evenings.

8+hours per session; time well spent.

Bob


Bob-

You are a little more hard core at that than me, but sounds neat. I got my ladyfriend a decent reflector telescope some years ago and we did some moon photography with it back then, but we have not dragged the rig back out much since those days.

Do you do any astrophotography with your rig?

Earl
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Old 09-26-2022, 02:08 PM
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Default Eclipse..

Earl,

Very little astro photography, $$$ ;-)

However this is the Solar eclipse from 5-6 years ago.
Point & shoot camera at the eyepiece on the 8" Newtonian
on a Dobsonian mount. Even with the sun filter the 'scope got warm!

Bob
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Old 09-26-2022, 03:32 PM
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Hey, that's pretty sharp! Is that the solar eclipse from 2017 that total across much of the US? Attached is a photo of that eclipse with my Canon DSL, just handheld. It was made in the path of totality, over in South Carolina, about 40 miles from here across the state line. I'm in Georgia. My first total eclipse event. It was a truly awesome experience!

Also, an old shot of a half moon made with the telescope and an eyepiece adapter to fit to that same Canon DSL. This shot from about 16 years ago. It is not always an easy task to get a good matchup between the telescope and the camera, even with an adapter.

Earl
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Old 09-26-2022, 04:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl
Is that the solar eclipse from 2017 that total across much of the US?

Earl


Earl,

I believe so. Your photos are better than mine, naturally-I purchased some of your
videos back in the '90s

Bob
p.s. the sky is clear today, will set the 'scope up shortly in order to let it acclimate
to temperature etc.
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Old 09-26-2022, 08:13 PM
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I like your eclipse photo; sharper than mine and more color. I hadn’t considered that a telescope would get warm while viewing an eclipse, but I guess it makes sense. Even at 93 million miles, that thermonuclear reaction still radiates a decent amount of heat!

Thanks for sharing!

Earl
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  #10  
Old 09-26-2022, 09:54 PM
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It’s easy enough to buy time on a scope and use it to do photography, science, wnatever. Typical rates are about a buck per minute of imaging time.

Attached is the Dumbbell Nebula, taken last night. 5 minute exposure with a 7” telescope down in Chile.
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