Category: Jupiter

Look Up KC – See Comet Lovejoy This Friday Evening

Reposted from the Astronomical Society of Kansas City‘s Powell Observatory web page:

Powell Observatory will be open to the public for viewing of Comet Lovejoy from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Friday, January 23rd, 2015.  Naked eye, binocular and telescopic views, including the 30″ Ruisinger telescope, of Comet Lovejoy will be the main target of the evening’s viewing, but other astronomical objects will be presented as well.  The observatory classroom and bathrooms are heated, but the Ruisinger observatory dome is unheated and all additional telescope and binocular observing will be done outside.  It is highly recommended that visitors wear appropriate cold weather clothing.

There are no food or beverage concessions available at the observatory, but visitors may bring their own non-alcoholic beverages and snacks if desired.  You can print a map to the observatory clicking here.  Visitors with questions about the weather or the evening’s activities should call the observatory at after 6:30 PM on the 23rd.

The ASKC is a non-profit organization.  We ask for a suggested donation of $6.00 per adult and $4.00 per child under 12.  All donations are used to support and maintain the observatory and the ASKC thanks you for your patronage.

More information on Comet Lovejoy, how to view and how to find it may be found at the following website:

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/spot-comet-lovejoy-tonight-122920141/

Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) sprints northward during January, moving from Lepus to the doorstep of Andromeda. (Astronomy.com)
Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) sprints northward during January, moving from Lepus to the doorstep of Andromeda. (Astronomy.com)

Tom J Martinez PhotoBlog: Comet Lovejoy near the Plieades

http://tomjmartinez.blogspot.com/2015/01/comet-lovejoy-near-plieades.html?m=1

Awesome photo taken by astrophotographer Tom Martinez over the weekend.

I observed the comet several times with binoculars.

Come down to Powell Observatory this Friday night to see the comet and other astronomical wonders.

Posted from WordPress for Android via my Samsung smartphone. Please excuse any misspellings. Ciao, Jon

The Seven Wonders of the Solar System

http://io9.com/the-seven-wonders-of-the-solar-system-1600220388

Some suggestions for a superlative list of solar system wonders.

My list off the top of my head:

1. Saturn’s rings
2. Jupiter’s red spot
3. Mars’ Olympic Mons
4. Io
5. Titan
6. Uranus for being axially contrary
7. Oort cloud

Posted from WordPress for Android via my Samsung smartphone. Please excuse any misspellings. Ciao, Jon

Venus Overtakes Jupiter

I thought I’d use the European racing term more commonly known in the States as ‘passing’ to refer to the progress Venus has made in the predawn sky this past week.

Saturday morning I woke up way too early for a weekend, but remembered reading something about Venus and Jupiter getting closer together.  Without reminding myself by actually looking the information up via Facebook or Twitter or Google, I threw on some clothes, grabbed the keys to one of the vehicles (didn’t care which one) and rushed outside.  It was still very dark, just after five o’clock (Central time zone).  I drove a block up a slight hill to my favorite eastern horizon viewing site (just to the east of Lansing City Hall) and waited … and waited … and waited.  I finally used my smartphone (which I never leave home without) to check when Venus and Jupiter were supposed to rise (using Astronomy.com’s Tonight’s Sky mobile web page).  Continue reading “Venus Overtakes Jupiter”

Find an Island of Stars at Powell Obsevatory Tomorrow Night

A quick shout-out to everyone in the Kansas City metro area to come on down to the Powell Observatory tomorrow night.

Our scheduled program is entitled “Island of Stars” and the weather looks very promising.

I volunteer as part of Team 2 (one of several teams staffed by members of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City).  I’m looking forward to meeting many new people and introducing them to the many wonders of the night sky.

More Powell Observatory Information:

The observatory is staffed by ASKC volunteers and is open to the public every Saturday night from the beginning of May through the end of October. The Star Bright Saturday Night Programs begin at dusk and include program presentations on astronomy, tours of the observatory, and (if the skies are clear) viewing through the various telescopes of the moon, planets, stars, star clusters and more! A donation of $6 per adult and $4 per child is suggested to help support the observatory and allow it to continue operations open to the public.

Hope to see you tomorrow night and always keep looking up!

See Jupiter at its best | Astronomy.com

http://www.astronomy.com/observing/sky-events/2013/12/see-jupiter-at-its-best?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_campaign=hootsuite

If it weren’t for the Arctic blast of subzero temperatures tonight I might crack open the binoculars for a gaze at Jupiter.

I think it will still be there in a few days when it warms back up closer to the freezing point.

Posted from WordPress for Android via my Samsung smartphone. Please excuse any misspellings. Ciao, Jon

Faint Comet Found

Just as I was settling down and thinking about making my morning cup of tea, I thought I’d check the eastern sky one last time (see my earlier post about cloud cover on the wrong half of the sky). Surprise!  The clouds disappeared, probably due to the wind advisory we’re still under.  I could barely see the star Spica just breaking through the bare limbs of my neighbor’s trees.

I went back inside and grabbed my binoculars.  I then headed to one of my east-facing second floor bedrooms.  Thanks to my kids, the window in the south room has no screen so I can open it and have a clear view above my neighbor’s rooftops.

Continue reading “Faint Comet Found”

Orion Rising

I went outside Wednesday evening to photograph our exterior Christmas lighting decorations.  As I walked down the front steps, I could see most of Orion rising in the east.  The Hunter seemed to be reclining in a dreamy, wispy, foggy pose.  I couldn’t resist taking a couple of photos, the best of which is displayed below:

Orion Rising
Orion Rising (click image for rest of album)

Venus Dives Past Saturn

Twelve degrees Fahrenheit this morning as I setup the tripod and camera for the third pre-dawn photo shoot of Saturn and Venus.  Completely calm, unlike yesterday morning, so no jiggles to the camera, beyond my fumbling numb fingers.  I opted for longer exposures (three or four seconds), so I ended up with some trails, especially when using the telephoto lens.  Otherwise, much the same as before, with the exception of the planetary dance partners.

SaturnVenusMercury3secExp18mmWithLabels
Venus slipping below Saturn pre-dawn Tuesday 11/27/2012 (click image for rest of album)

I don’t plan on repeating this for a fourth time tomorrow morning, but I do plan on trying to capture the full moon as it approaches Jupiter tomorrow night.  There also happens to be a penumbral lunar eclipse occurring Wednesday evening.

Wednesday, November 28
Full Moon arrives at 9:46 a.m. EST. It appears against the background stars of Taurus the Bull before dawn this morning, approximately midway between the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters and below brilliant Jupiter. (The Moon will slide within 1° of the planet after sunset tonight.) But the Moon has a lot more going for it today. First, it passes through the outer part of Earth’s shadow. This penumbral lunar eclipse will slightly darken the Moon’s northern half. People in much of North America can see the eclipse’s early stages, which begin at 7:15 a.m. EST. (Those in Australia, eastern Asia, and the Pacific islands have the best views of the event.) Second, this Full Moon is the smallest (29.4′ in diameter) of 2012. Our satellite’s relatively diminutive size arises because it reaches the farthest point in its orbit around Earth at 2:37 p.m. EST today, when it lies 252,501 miles (406,362 kilometers) from Earth’s center. (Astronomy.com ‘The Sky This Week – November 23 – December 2, 2012’)