that conjunction...

[stuck]

Jupiter and Saturn will be at their closest tomorrow, 21 Dec, but rain is forecast for my area tomorrow. However, it was clear tonight so put my camera on a tripod and started snapping.

This image is not going to win any prizes but given the only telephoto lens I've got it's not bad. You can clearly see that Saturn is not a circular dot and as well as bright Jupiter you can see what I presume are at least four of Jupiter's moons.

I'm happy.

Ken
PS The massive crop from the frame gives this image an effective focal length of about 3500mm

[HansV]

Wow, that's great!

I went to the edge of town earlier this evening. It's a more or less clear night, but it was very hazy near the horizon, so I could barely make out the two dots of Jupiter and Saturn. Tomorrow is going to be rainy here too, so no chance of seeing them then.

[Graeme]

Good one Ken. An image of the event is always going to be tricky with the target sitting at 12°altitude. You captured all 4 Galilean moons as well!

It was clear here last night so I spied the conjunction with an 80mm guide scope. It was clear again tonight, I set the telescope up only to find that although I could clearly see the conjunction, the height of the telescope meant that my neighbour's greenhouse was in the way! So I captured some lunar images instead!

Regards

Graeme

[ChrisGreaves]

I'm happy.

I'm not happy.
I'm delirious.
I was tossed out of the car after the Solstice Brunch, picked up my phone and took three shots around 15:50 local time.

SJ02 [640x480].png

(1) Across my back yard, looking SW. Note the bank of cloud on the skyline.
(2) Along Canon Bayley Road, looking WSW. Note the bank of cloud on the skyline.
(3) Across Canon Bayley Road, looking N towards The Folks Who Live On The Hill. Note the bank of cloud on the skyline.
Inside and make a cuppa.
Fire up Stellarium and this is what I see for St John's:-

SJ01.png

Jupiter is behind that cloud bank that Stellarium doesn't know about

This image is not going to win any prizes

But yes it is, Ken.
Your photo has already won the Chris Greaves Prize for closest he will ever get to seeing such a conjunction.
That I see the conjunction through the lens of a camera held by someone I know but have not yet met, makes the image so much more valuable than checking out the Dunlap (Dunlop?) observatory web site.
I mean, who do I know at the observatory? But the photographer, Ken, why, he is just across the water here, just past that darned cloud bank …
Congratulations
Chris

[StuartR]

That's an amazing photo. All I got to see was cloud. Maybe tomorrow night will be better.

[BobH]

We could see the 2 almost as one just a few minutes ago. It's dark here and the 2 planets are about 12-20 degrees above the horizon. We could discern them with the naked eye but they are too low to warrant dragging out the very old Celestron.

We shall see what tomorrow evening brings.

[Rudi]

Nice snap Ken.

[John Gray]

All I got to see was cloud. Maybe tomorrow night will be better.

It wasn't any better here - all I got to see was very heavy rain...

[jonwallace]

I looked out tonight, but it was raining...

Later: I looked out again and couldn't see anything but what looked like a giant orange segment sitting on the western horizon...

[ChrisGreaves]

It wasn't any better here - all I got to see was very heavy rain...

I looked out tonight, but it was raining...
Later: I looked out again and couldn't see anything but what looked like a giant orange segment sitting on the western horizon...

You guys mean something like this?

Untitled2.png

At this point I am unsure whether these are tears in my eyes or conjunctivitis.
Cheers
Chris

[GeoffW]

I went out to look at the sky last night, and all I could see was rain, dear.

[ChrisGreaves]

Jupiter and Saturn will be at their closest tomorrow, 21 Dec,

While I continue to enjoy my new bedroom window, watching Jupiter at its brightest in 59 years ...

Cheers, chris

[HansV]

It must be very bright indeed if you can see it in Australia from your bedroom window in Bonavista...

[ChrisGreaves]

It must be very bright indeed if you can see it in Australia from your bedroom window in Bonavista...

Gosh, Hans, you're not very bright this morning ...
Cheers, Chris