The dynamic sky

[Size9Hex]

Lovely session a couple of nights ago with an observing partner who’s new the night sky. It drew out some interesting discussion, which combined with some great sights, revealed the dynamic nature of the night sky more than on any other session.

It was an almost farcically early start, sitting in garden chairs under a stunning blue sky. The sun, an orange giant on the horizon, having set only moments ago. The planets are a spectacular sight in twilight. Who can spot them first!

A half Venus, racing to overtake us on the inside lane. Jupiter’s moons in their slow dance, shifting as we watched. Summer on Saturn, the rings fully open. Dusty weather blowing around inconviently on Mars. Light from a alien desert shining on the palms of our hands as we held them in front of the eyepiece. Open mouthed and plenty of superlatives at the first view of Saturn!

An astonishing meteor/fireball through Pegasus towards Andromeda, the best I can ever recall seeing. A bright white trail slicing at high speed across the sky and a terminal flash outshining Jupiter and maybe even Venus, which had set by then. We were absolutely speechless!

Comet 21P, a temporary visitor from beyond Jupiter, with what we both saw to be a stubby tail.

The curve of the ecliptic, revealing the plane of the solar system. The Milky Way, the plane of the galaxy. Head out past Saturn and keep going to get to the middle! The North Star. Over to Perseus, with a few early Perseids we thought, and the rough direction that our own planet is hurtling towards in its orbit. Everything tilted at head-scratching angles to each other!

M31 en route for collision!

Also, M13, the Double Cluster, the Veil, the Double Double, Albireo. Forgot to view the Ring, but the summer is still early. We had a good chuckle at the vaguely lumpy darkness in the North America Nebula!

Hope every else is getting some great time out under the clear summer skies too!

[scarp15]

Nice way to begin, with company sitting on garden chairs and proceed naked eye and optically assisted observing, through a time-line, under the summer sky.

[David Levi]

Lovely descriptions of the night sky. I've just started frequenting a dark sky site offering panoramic views where the last two nights it was possible to see Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars all visible at the same time spread out across the ecliptic. Worth going there just to see that.

[Size9Hex]

2 hours ago, David Levi said:

Lovely descriptions of the night sky. I've just started frequenting a dark sky site offering panoramic views where the last two nights it was possible to see Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars all visible at the same time spread out across the ecliptic. Worth going there just to see that.

That sounds a terrific site and sight! I had a similar view earlier in the month with Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and the moon, but Venus had set behind a copse of trees. Beautiful view though.

[Stu]

What a fabulous report, was on the edge of my seat for that one

Really excellent descriptions of what’s on display right now. I do love being able to trace the arc of the elliptic when the planets are laid out as they are now.

Thanks!