Science

elleng

(130,948 posts) Sat Dec 5, 2015, 02:04 PM Dec 2015

Photos of 'distant objects,' taken from head of my bed @ 5 a.m.,

inspired by the Moon waking me up, and this great diagram from the Farmer's Almanac:

#AstronomyAlert: Look to the southeast before dawn on 12/5 and through the weekend to see the crescent Moon line up with the morning planets: Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. The bright blue giant star Spica will be to the right of Venus. The Moon will move downward, closer to the horizon each night as it wanes toward the New Moon phase. On the 7th, look for it very close to #Venus!

https://www.facebook.com/TheFarmersAlmanac/photos/a.293370841458.158289.50196126458/10153122635766459/?type=3&theater

This is the Moon (with reflection through double paned window) and JUPITER, upper right.

This is solo Jupiter.

Later I saw Mars and Venus, much too small to catch, and THEN saw bright SPICA, but I was too pooped to get the camera out; it was about 6 a.m. Maybe tonight (tomorrow morning)

11 replies

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Photos of 'distant objects,' taken from head of my bed @ 5 a.m., (Original Post) elleng Dec 2015 OP

Wow! shenmue Dec 2015 #1

Thanks, I think so too! elleng Dec 2015 #2

Cool! 2naSalit Dec 2015 #3

Well THAT's cool, elleng Dec 2015 #4

I've been a skywatcher 2naSalit Dec 2015 #5

That's wonderful! elleng Dec 2015 #6

Did you get outside to see the moon and Venus this morning? mahatmakanejeeves Dec 2015 #7

NO I didn't, but I looked elleng Dec 2015 #9

We had an awesome view this early morning... hunter Dec 2015 #8

Beautiful AuntPatsy Dec 2015 #10

Thanks, AuntPatsy. elleng Dec 2015 #11

shenmue

(38,506 posts)

1. Wow!

Reply to elleng (Original post)

Sat Dec 5, 2015, 02:32 PM

Dec 2015

Thanks, that's cool!

elleng

(130,948 posts)

2. Thanks, I think so too!

Reply to shenmue (Reply #1)

Sat Dec 5, 2015, 02:42 PM

Dec 2015

Had seen the Almanac pic and read about it BEFORE being awakened by the Moon Thursday night, and just couldn't pass it up!

2naSalit

(86,636 posts)

3. Cool!

Reply to elleng (Original post)

Sat Dec 5, 2015, 03:17 PM

Dec 2015

I've been watching that group for months now.

elleng

(130,948 posts)

4. Well THAT's cool,

Reply to 2naSalit (Reply #3)

Sat Dec 5, 2015, 03:23 PM

Dec 2015

I've just begun to watch!

2naSalit

(86,636 posts)

5. I've been a skywatcher

Reply to elleng (Reply #4)

Sat Dec 5, 2015, 03:32 PM

Dec 2015

all my life. My dad was a celestial navigator and shared some of his knowledge with us. He had a pretty hefty telescope, we even saw Sputnik! And I spent over a decade on the road, watching the sky was my favorite pastime. I'm hoping that soon the moon and Venus will line up such that they appear like an earring with Venus as the post-stone and the crescent moon dangling from it's tip. Saw that twice so far but it was decades in between!

elleng

(130,948 posts)

6. That's wonderful!

Reply to 2naSalit (Reply #5)

Sat Dec 5, 2015, 03:37 PM

Dec 2015

MY Dad was an attorney, so that's me! Somehow I acquired a fascination with nature, and I'm now living in just the right place.

As to Sputnik, we flew to Europe for our first trip there on that very date, Oct. 4, 1957, a day that remains in infamy!!!

Nice earring you're imagining!

mahatmakanejeeves

(57,464 posts)

7. Did you get outside to see the moon and Venus this morning?

Reply to elleng (Original post)

Mon Dec 7, 2015, 11:13 AM

Dec 2015

They were right next to each other. Well, you know what I mean. Somewhere, I suspect lucky viewers will get to see the moon occult Venus. Mars and Jupiter were up there too.

Bad news for me: some people just moved in next door. Right away they installed a pair of bright lights to illuminate their back yard. Why? Who are they expecting? I do not know. The lights have made a mess of stargazing for me.

elleng

(130,948 posts)

9. NO I didn't, but I looked

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Reply #7)

Mon Dec 7, 2015, 06:11 PM

Dec 2015

through my bedroom window repeatedly LATE night and EARLY morning, saw stars but NO moon. I DID see Jupiter, but didn't identify other planets. p.s., what time? I can go out tomorrow morning to look for Moon and Venus.

That's AWFUL about your new neighbors. NONE possible here, but am going to NJ for a few days, this weekend, so will miss expected meteor shower as my daughter's house is too surrounded by TREES!

hunter

(38,316 posts)

8. We had an awesome view this early morning...

Reply to elleng (Original post)

Mon Dec 7, 2015, 02:16 PM

Dec 2015

... but it clouded up just before the moon occluded Venus.

AuntPatsy

(9,904 posts)

10. Beautiful

Reply to elleng (Original post)

Mon Dec 7, 2015, 10:20 PM

Dec 2015

elleng

(130,948 posts)

11. Thanks, AuntPatsy.

Reply to AuntPatsy (Reply #10)

Mon Dec 7, 2015, 11:04 PM

Dec 2015

These 'common' things are very exciting to me, and I have a perfect place from which to watch. Last night/early morning saw no moon but lots of stars (and planets!)

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