Heads up, skywatchers!
Space Weather News for July 9, 2008
JUPITER AT ITS BRIGHTEST: Jupiter reaches maximum brilliance this week, on July 9th, when it makes its closest approach to Earth for all of 2008.
At sunset, look low and southeast for a beacon of light brighter than any star. That is Jupiter rising for an all-night transit across the southern sky. During this time of closest approach, Jupiter makes a wonderful target for backyard telescopes.
Even small telescopes reveal the planet's cloud belts, its four largest moons, and the Great Red Spot, an anti-cyclone twice as wide as Earth. Just a few days ago, the Great Red Spot ran over a sibling, the Little Red Spot, and may have destroyed the smaller storm.
Amateur images of the collision are featured on today's edition of SpaceWeather News!
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With Jupiter now Rx in Capricorn (sign of law, business, and politics), I thought you'd like to know that now's the best time of 2008 to see the big fella!
Showing posts with label telescopes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label telescopes. Show all posts
Jul 10, 2008
Dec 17, 2007
Mars closest to Earth Dec 18
After my posting of a few minutes ago which resulted in all my sentences being underlined mysteriously and annoyingly in each entry, I'm taking a risk with this SpaceWeather post on Mars' closest approach to Earth--but I thought you'd like to know even if it is underlined.
Wonder if it's Blogger, IE, or me? If you have a clue, please let the clueless know!
Space Weather News for Dec 17, 2007:
CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH MARS: Have you noticed an intense red star rising in the east in recent evenings? That's no star, that's Mars. The red planet is having a close encounter with Earth this week. At closest approach on Tuesday evening, Dec 18th, the two worlds will lie only 55 million miles apart. Mars won't be this nearby again until the year 2016. To the naked eye, Mars now outshines every star in the night sky (it is slightly brighter than Sirius) and it looks great through a backyard telescope.
Visit SpaceWeather.com for photos, observing tips and sky maps.
NOTE: While, technically speaking, Mars is at its best and brightest only on Dec 18, the red planet will remain unusually close and beautiful for weeks to come. This makes it a Merry Martian Christmas for anyone who finds a telescope under their tree on Dec 25: Meade.com
GREAT GEMINIDS: The Geminid meteor shower peaked on Dec 14 and 15; as predicted, it was a great show. Some observers counted more than a hundred meteors per hour including fireballs that cast shadows like a full moon and gave off ghostly-sounding radio echoes.
It's all chronicled in our Geminid Gallery here.
Wonder if it's Blogger, IE, or me? If you have a clue, please let the clueless know!
Space Weather News for Dec 17, 2007:
CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH MARS: Have you noticed an intense red star rising in the east in recent evenings? That's no star, that's Mars. The red planet is having a close encounter with Earth this week. At closest approach on Tuesday evening, Dec 18th, the two worlds will lie only 55 million miles apart. Mars won't be this nearby again until the year 2016. To the naked eye, Mars now outshines every star in the night sky (it is slightly brighter than Sirius) and it looks great through a backyard telescope.
Visit SpaceWeather.com for photos, observing tips and sky maps.
NOTE: While, technically speaking, Mars is at its best and brightest only on Dec 18, the red planet will remain unusually close and beautiful for weeks to come. This makes it a Merry Martian Christmas for anyone who finds a telescope under their tree on Dec 25: Meade.com
GREAT GEMINIDS: The Geminid meteor shower peaked on Dec 14 and 15; as predicted, it was a great show. Some observers counted more than a hundred meteors per hour including fireballs that cast shadows like a full moon and gave off ghostly-sounding radio echoes.
It's all chronicled in our Geminid Gallery here.
Mar 20, 2007
Green Comet!
Space Weather News for March 20, 2007
GREEN COMET: There's a new comet in the southern hemisphere: Comet Lovejoy (C/2007 E2). Terry Lovejoy of Australia discovered it on March 15th using, remarkably, not a telescope but only an off-the-shelf digital camera. The green comet is too dim to see with the naked eye, but it is a nice target for backyard telescopes. After five days of monitoring, the comet's orbit is now known with some accuracy and it is possible to make predictions about Comet Lovejoy's future movements and brightness.
Visit SpaceWeather.com for details.
BONUS--VENUS AND THE MOON: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west. You'll see Venus and the slender crescent Moon beaming together through the glow of sunset. If you miss the pair on March 20th, try again on the 21st. They will be beautifully close together on both nights.#
GREEN COMET: There's a new comet in the southern hemisphere: Comet Lovejoy (C/2007 E2). Terry Lovejoy of Australia discovered it on March 15th using, remarkably, not a telescope but only an off-the-shelf digital camera. The green comet is too dim to see with the naked eye, but it is a nice target for backyard telescopes. After five days of monitoring, the comet's orbit is now known with some accuracy and it is possible to make predictions about Comet Lovejoy's future movements and brightness.
Visit SpaceWeather.com for details.
BONUS--VENUS AND THE MOON: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west. You'll see Venus and the slender crescent Moon beaming together through the glow of sunset. If you miss the pair on March 20th, try again on the 21st. They will be beautifully close together on both nights.#
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