Saturn and Jupiter visible for the next few days!

[fxykty]

If you have a low-light horizon to your west, you may be able to spot Saturn and Jupiter shortly after sunset, just to the right and above from where the sun sets. They are in line and almost as close as possible, to be visible to the naked eye.

https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essen...on-dec-21-2020

[Sand crab]

I have been checking them out through a telescope as they get closer. My scope isn't that fancy but I can see the rings of Saturn and 4 of Jupiter's moons. Hoping for clear skies on the 21st. Should be really cool. I probably won't bother waiting for the next alignment.

[Ded reckoner]

They're low on the horizon from here at St Augustine. They are seen best right after sunset. Today was especially cool with the crescent moon hanging over the two planets.

[Spot]

Saw them up here today around 5pm @ 214 degrees according to the binoculars.

[hafa]

Just after sunset here, they're both quite bright, Jupiter exceptionally so; both are easily visible with the naked eye even when the sky is still blue. Right now, they're really close to the waxing crescent moon, making a beautiful tableau.

[SeanPatrick]

Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Venus and even Mercury are all visible to the naked eye most of the time. People just mistake them for stars.


Often they are several magnitudes brighter than any star in the sky. That's one good clue to finding them. They will usually be the first objects visible [besides the Sun and Moon, of course] at evening twilight ... and the last objects visible in the morning. Venus is so bright that, if you know where to look, you can even see it in the middle of the day.



They also don't "twinkle" like stars. That's because they are close enough to appear as more than just a point light source (like stars) and so the effects of atmospheric turbulence have a less noticeable effect on them.


Mercury is the hardest to see because you will only see it just as the Sun rises or sets. It's orbit is so close to the Sun that it never appears more than a few degrees away and is usually obscured by the Sun's brightness.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

I probably won't bother waiting for the next alignment.

CBC said this week that the last time Saturn and Jupiter were this close was the 13th Century - when Genghis Khan, Ruler of the Mongol Empire was alive (?-1227). That just blows my mind...

I've been looking, but I may miss it. Weather has been crappy, stormy and cloudy this week. We're planning for Polar Bear swims up here...

LittleWing77

[LittleWing77]

Hey Sean!

Was it you who was looking to upgrade your sextant? What one did you end up getting?

Warmly,
LittleWing77

[SeanPatrick]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

Hey Sean!

Was it you who was looking to upgrade your sextant? What one did you end up getting?

Warmly,
LittleWing77

Wasn't me. Although I'm always on the lookout for another sextant. (Don't tell my wife. She wants to "de-clutter". )

[Adelie]

I don’t recall talking about it here but I wanted a better sextant. Got a CHO-T that I need to take apart and oil.