Wow!! Clear skies tonight!!

shedweller

Just stepped out back and was greeted by none other than jupiter, the moon and venus. This was also accompanied by a satellite going north/south at the same time! If only every night was as clear eh?

Maximus Alexander

Smoking has its advantages!

Maybe that's just me...

Popoutman

yeah, and a beautiful crisp night when I could be out getting half-decent captures of Jupiter again, spoiled by being chained to the workdesk

shedweller

Popoutman wrote: »

yeah, and a beautiful crisp night when I could be out getting half-decent captures of Jupiter again, spoiled by being chained to the workdesk

I have a boltcutter if you are interested?!!

Pat Dunne

Yeah, and I have the Flu

MsQuinn

Hello

Never posted here before but seeing something a bit strange in the skies.

Tonight is a very clear night where I am. I always love looking up at the stars.

Over the past 3 hrs, I've been going out for a ciggie and have noticed something moving very slowly over the skies. It is shaped like a long angled triangle. At first I thought it was just one of the constellations - maybe it just is.

When I look directly at it, it kinda disappears and comes back. When I look a bit away I can see it out of the corner of my eye very clearly.

Anyone else know what I'm seeing?

Cú Giobach

MsQuinn wrote: »

Hello

Never posted here before but seeing something a bit strange in the skies.

Tonight is a very clear night where I am. I always love looking up at the stars.

Over the past 3 hrs, I've been going out for a ciggie and have noticed something moving very slowly over the skies. It is shaped like a long angled triangle. At first I thought it was just one of the constellations - maybe it just is.

When I look directly at it, it kinda disappears and comes back. When I look a bit away I can see it out of the corner of my eye very clearly.

Anyone else know what I'm seeing?

Did it look like the constellation Triangulum?
That would have been to the West around the time you were looking.

MsQuinn

Cú Giobach wrote: »

Did it look like the constellation Triangulum?
That would have been to the West around the time you were looking.

That seems to be it alright.

Popoutman

As it turned out, I got home from work at about 2am, so I brought out the grab'n'go scope (what a wonderful purchase that is turning out to be) and went for a wander to find somewhere dark.
I got a nice view of Saturn, with the bandind, the shadow of the rings on the planet and the shadow of the planet on the rings, with the Cassini division visible most of the time.
Mars showed a very clear and obvious polar cap with a darker collar around it, as well as Syrtis Major and Utopia being visible. The phase was obvious - it wasn't round!
I got some good views of some double stars, such as Algeiba, Izar and Porrima - all split cleanly at 125x though Izar wasn't that easy.
M51 was quite well shown, easily seing the two galaxy disks and two nuclei, but no spiral structure.

Very nice short session that wound me down nicely from the evening's work, and these quick grabs of suitable stargazing time have really made me thankful that I got the 80mm Onyx and the alt-az mount. Setup is minimal and the cooldown isn't a big issue compared to the Newts.

Sheeps

Just had a look at Jupiter there for the first time. The clarity was amazing, and seeing her moons too!

peterako

Jupiter is COOL!

Managed to get out a couple of nighjts ago and have a few quick looks at:

Venus, Jupter, the Moon, Orion and later Mars! (4 Planets in one night including Earth...)

OH!
I hope we have a nice run of clear nights!!

If I had the stamina I would have stayed up for Saturn too!!

Really looking foraward to that planet's return at a reasonable hour.

Clear skies,
Peter

shedweller

Popoutman wrote: »

As it turned out, I got home from work at about 2am, so I brought out the grab'n'go scope (what a wonderful purchase that is turning out to be) and went for a wander to find somewhere dark.
I got a nice view of Saturn, with the bandind, the shadow of the rings on the planet and the shadow of the planet on the rings, with the Cassini division visible most of the time.
Mars showed a very clear and obvious polar cap with a darker collar around it, as well as Syrtis Major and Utopia being visible. The phase was obvious - it wasn't round!
I got some good views of some double stars, such as Algeiba, Izar and Porrima - all split cleanly at 125x though Izar wasn't that easy.
M51 was quite well shown, easily seing the two galaxy disks and two nuclei, but no spiral structure.

Very nice short session that wound me down nicely from the evening's work, and these quick grabs of suitable stargazing time have really made me thankful that I got the 80mm Onyx and the alt-az mount. Setup is minimal and the cooldown isn't a big issue compared to the Newts.

Thats some good viewing with an 80mm telescope! I see its not being made anymore.

shedweller

Jupiter, Venus and the moon looking good this evening!

'scorthy

Forgive my ignorance - but is Jupiter the larger of the images closest to the crescent Moon?

slade_x

'scorthy wrote: »

Forgive my ignorance - but is Jupiter the larger of the images closest to the crescent Moon?

No venus is the closest (and brightest) to the moon

Jupiter > Venus > Cresent Moon

lolie

Look out for the ISS at 8.24 this eve as it passes by the moon and Venus.
Also tomorrow eve at 7.27 - 7.31 it should pass close to Jupiter, Venus and the Moon.

Prenderb

'scorthy wrote: »

Forgive my ignorance - but is Jupiter the larger of the images closest to the crescent Moon?

Nope, Venus is the brighter, lower one.

Group Theory Rocks

shedweller wrote: »

Just stepped out back and was greeted by none other than jupiter, the moon and venus. This was also accompanied by a satellite going north/south at the same time! If only every night was as clear eh?

I see that tonight again (not the satellite though). Mind-blowing to think of it all. Wonderful.

Davaeo09

lolie wrote: »

Look out for the ISS at 8.24 this eve as it passes by the moon and Venus.
Also tomorrow eve at 7.27 - 7.31 it should pass close to Jupiter, Venus and the Moon.

Finally managed to see the ISS pass last night thanks to this post! I always managed to miss it by 10-15 minutes but last night I seen your post literally in the nick of time!
Grabbed my scarf and hat and went outside, within 2 minutes I spotted what I think/hope was the ISS. Moved from NW to Eastish? More orange that the light of stars and much faster than a plane and it passed just below the Moon

shedweller

I went out too with the intention of getting a streak of iss as it passed the trio of jupiter etc. But it was cloudy. Ah well, there's time yet!

ootbitb

would the iss be the orange light I saw about 730 tonight travelling W -E?

shedweller

Hope this picture is big enough to show Mercury. I tried uploading it bigger but it wouldn't work. Mercury is pointed at by my high tech arrow......:)


Here's a close up of Mercury:

rubbledoubledo

Hi all
What is the bright orange coloured light low in the east sky tonight.
Is it a planet or star.

shedweller

It's Mars!

Chriscl1

Clearest skies I've ever seen this evening.

rubbledoubledo

Thanks for that.
.Must go out and show my Nephew.
All ready showed him Venus and Jupiter

alwaysonthego

@Chriscl1 agreed - Stunning skies tonight, could sit all night looking

Cú Giobach

With Saturn rising around 11pm, there is the chance for the next few days, to see 5 naked eye planets in the one night.
With low cloud to the west I didn't get to see Mercury yesterday, but got the other 4, fingers crossed for tonight.

peterako

Pointed out four to my 7 year old before he went to bed

Glorious till about 9pm here last night.

OH! How I've missed clear skies!!

Peter

Zubeneschamali

Pointed out Mercury to the kids just after sunset.

A bit later, Mars, the moon, Jupiter, Venus and Mercury were all visible at the same time!

Mars was super bright.