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Question: Orientation of Jupiter tonight

Walky

By Walky
in The Astro Lounge

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Walky

Walky

Posted
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It may have a simple answer but I don't know it. So I hope someone can clarify this to me.

I took a picture tonight of the Moon and Jupiter and Jupiter is at the left. Then I went to a photography forum and there wee two other posted who have Jupiter at the right of the moon. I am in Florida and one of the other persons is in Lafayette, Indiana. I don't know about the location of the secondone.

Is this possible?

post-19417-0-21142000-1358829582_thumb.j

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Mondlicht13

Mondlicht13

Posted
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Hi there. No you are not going mad.

This is because the moon is orbiting the earth and as such does appear to move quite quickly aginst the background stars and planets.

So in effect it appeared that the moon closed in on Jupiter through the night and eventually passed it by thus showing to the west then the east of the planet.

Cheers

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Bubble and Squeak

Bubble and Squeak

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So in effect it appeared that the moon closed in on Jupiter through the night and eventually passed it by thus showing to the west then the east of the planet.

Cheers

Hi all,

This line from Mike above is not correct. This isn't actually possible in one night. The moon doesn't move THAT fast! You would notice over the course of several days the difference between Lunar and Jovian positions in the night sky but not in one night. Given how far apart they are in your photo, to the naked eye they would both appear to be static in their relative positions. Its only possible to really observe their independent movement if you are observing an occultation of Jupiter by the moon, in which case it would be so close to the lunar limb that you would be able to watch it slowly moving behind it.. over the course of a couple of hours.

What has more likely happened is that the photos you were looking at were flipped horizontally or were taken in a different hemisphere to you. Links to the exact pictures you are talking about would be helpful.

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Steve Ward

Steve Ward

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" This line from Mike above is not correct. This isn't actually possible in one night. The moon doesn't move THAT fast! "

Depending on the "starting position" at Moon-rise it's definitely possible to watch Jupiter "overtake" the Moon in one night , I've done it on many an occasion.

The Moon moves relative to the stars at about half a degree an hour , plenty quick enough to move from one side of Jupiter to the other.

Here are some screenshots from Stellarium based from Florida last night .

1.png

2.png

3.png

4.png

5.png

6.png

7.png

And an animation I made a while ago to demonstrate the difference in motion a while ago , taken over the course of an hour or so .( Jupiter the small stationary speck towards the top-left )

Hope this helps.

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Bubble and Squeak

Bubble and Squeak

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Ha! look at that! shows how much attention I pay to whats going on up there.. i.e not a lot :p apologies Mike, you weren't incorrect, I was. Really must get into Stellarium more. I have it installed but haven't used it much yet.

In my defence I did once expose someone on here who posted a picture of Jupiter taken by the New Horizons spacecraft trying to pass it off as one of their own. I did at least get that one right! ;)

Now lets all group hug!

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