Tonight — if conditions are favorable for viewing — Saturn and Jupiter will appear closer in the sky than they’ve had since 1623.
https://www.space.com/jupiter-saturn-great-conjunction-2020
Another close approach — but not as close — will occur on March 15th of 2080. I hope to see it, but I’m concerned because the weather prediction for the Ides in March of 2080 is not favorable.
I’ve been photographing the approaching conjunction whenever the skies are clear (I missed a few nights because of the weather). I’m hoping tonight’s sky will be clear, but I’m pleased with the effort so far and, if I miss tonight, there’s always 2080.
Last night gave me pretty good conditions. You might remember this photo from the 10th . . .
Here’s a shot from the 17th (you can see they are closer than a week earlier) . . .
And here’s a couple of photos from last night, the 20th, much closer (and they will get even closer) . . .
I was once again lucky to focus well enough to discern Saturn’s rings. I say lucky because the automatic focus doesn’t get you the sharpest focus and I have to manually tweak it by eyeballing a little bright spot so that it appears the smallest it can be . . . a tad difficult with my astigmatism.
Click on the above photo to get a larger view and you can make out the position of the Jovian moons.
By the way, you can/should easily make out the moons with a pair of binoculars (almost anything you have should be better than what Galileo used) unless you live somewhere with a lot of smog or light pollution.
If you remember and you have favorable conditions, it’s maybe worth a looksee . . . for my location, at 5:30 pm Central Time (Chicago), they appear at about 14° elevation from the horizon at a South-Southwest direction.
That might put them below my field of view, but — if the sky is clear — I should see them starting at about 4:55pm (according to Stellarium), after local sunset, with Jupiter appearing first, and as twilight progresses into darkness, Saturn becoming visible.
Realistically, it will be closer to 5:00-5:05 before I’ll see them both with the naked eye, but I’ll be out there ahead of time double-checking visibility and camera settings.
I suggest Stellarium<<link or other sky exploration apps to help you plan your viewing, and remind you that they “drop” pretty quickly so — even if your sky is clear — your viewing window is not that long.If you don’t want to load the program onto the computer, they have a WEB Version<<link.
It will open to your location and “looking” North, but you can use your mouse to move the view. It should automatically set the time to after dusk but you can click on it to manually change it (lower right corner of the window). The rectangle on the lower-left corner of the screen is where you can set the location if it doesn’t automatically detect it.
But, as I said, if you miss it, just wait for 2080.
Good luck and good weather.
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We drove over to the cliffs above the sea about an hour after sundown here. It was the brightest thing in the sky, but being that we only had our eyes and stadium binoculars we weren’t able to see any fine details. Still, to think that this crazy year brought us not one, but two, amazing celestial events! I use https://theskylive.com/guide which I find is really helpful.
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Thanks for the link; I’ll add it to all the other tools I use when the mood to look up strikes me good.
I typically use Stellarium to “see” what’s happening interactively, the NASA app to let me know when things are happening, and Heavens Above for tracking when I can see satellites, the ISS, and other artificial stuff orbiting the Earth. I have it in mind to capture the SkyLink satellite chain going overhead.
As for the naked-eye view, yes, it’s only two points of light with very little additional detail. Even with 50mm binoculars, I don’t see much because they are not stabilized and my hands are not steady enough to give me a sharp view since everything is moving around. Still, with a 8×20 or 10×50 pair of binoculars, you should be able to make out the points of light representing the moons in a moderately dark environment (provided there’s no other atmospheric interference like warm air and lots of humidity).
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Usually at the time we go there’s mist rising from the sea, but it didn’t interfere tonight because the conjunction was higher. But still too much ambient light.
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Well, you at least can see the two planets, so good luck this evening (if you choose to go).
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wonderful photos Emilio!! I don’t know if the clouds will part here for us to see it but I hope it’s a good omen for the future!! Seasons’ Blessings!
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Thank you, dm, and Happy Holiday’s to you as well.
As for omens, the thing I’ve noticed about them is people interpret them any way they want . . . so, if you want it to be an omen of good things, it will be.
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🙂
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I saw it the first time around!
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Ha! I know you’re pulling my leg, Andrew.
. . . I mean, I think I would remember a middle-aged Englishman running around Europe in shorts and sandals, even if it was four hundred years ago (I have a good memory for faces and sandals).
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It’s very cloudy up here in Chicagoland, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed. However, I’m not as optimistic as you are that I’ll be around in 2080.
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It was clear, so I got a few decent photos. It’s not like it’s ending . . . they’re still going to be close — but moving apart — going forward. The problem is that they’ll be lower in the sky each evening, with Saturn moving below Jupiter.
For us here, by 5:30pm on January 1, it will get dark enough to see them when they are only 9° above the horizon. Unless you have a clear horizon, you won’t see them. Plus, with more atmosphere between your eyes and the two planets, there is more chance of pollution degrading the view.
As for 2080, the oldest person alive is 117 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_oldest_living_people), but the oldest person to have lived was 122 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_people). I figure to push the boundary and chard new paths in longevity. I mean, we now have GMO food and 5G and kale. Who knows what wondrous mutations we’ll have. Of course, that means I have to start eating kale . . . I think I’ll pin my hopes on GMO and 5G.
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I say go for it! One really never knows what may transpire, or inspire you to do, to make that happen.
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Well, not eating kale, that’s for sure.
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You can see the ring! Just amazing – saw it last night and it looks clear tonight.
Space and stars are really exciting
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Yes, they are . . . if only more people looked up from their phones . . . Glad you were able to partake in observing the event.
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We had clear skies again last night.
You are right. So many are missing out on life while “documenting their existence’ on screens for individuals they don’t even know.
I know where there’s Dark Skies – and determined to get there…and maybe absorb some actual reality there.
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Beautiful amazing captures!
Coop and I take a night-walk every night just to enjoy the night sky.
Never know what one might see.
(((HUGS))) 🙂
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Thank you, Carolyn.
I should get out more often at night . . . otherwise how are the aliens going to find me and offer a ride out of here?
Seriously . . . how are they going to find me?
Anyway, I like looking up at night and recognize the relatively few objects I know. It sort of gives you a connection to generations long gone and yet to come.
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Well, I’m out every night and they haven’t picked me up yet…so you’re not missing out. I’m still trying to figure out when the Mother Ship is coming to pick me up and take me home. 😉
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I go out with a headlamp and two flashlights and jump up and down waving my arms . . . but while my neighbors notice me, no spaceship has stopped by to investigate. I can but keep trying.
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Great photos and description.
These two objects are sinking fast now and time is running out. A few more opportunities coming up though: 2040, 2060, 2080, 2100, 2119 or my last hope is 2140. I’ll only be 195.
I wonder how cameras and telescopes will have evolved by then. Probably zoom eye implants and microscopic brain hard drives to record everything you ever see. I can’t wait.
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Thank you Ggreybeard . . . I got a few additional photos last night (although I had more trouble achieving sharp focus) and I plan to keep shooting until I no longer see them, which is probably another five to seven days.
2140, you say . . . ha! I’ll only be 187!
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Sadly I was not able to see it since it was cloudy here. I guess I’ll just wait another 200 years or so.
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You still have a few days (depending on where you live) before it gets too low on the horizon. It won’t be at the closest, but still pretty close, with Saturn swinging around and below Jupiter.
Also, it’s only 60 years, so hang in there.
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Wow! Missed this post till tonight (1/12/21) The conjunction was a complete wipe-out for days before and after here in NJ. Nic captures. M 🙂
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Sorry to hear. I had almost clear skies . . . clear enough for photos on the 21st and a few days after.
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