JUPITER & SATURN

[Moonshed]

Thought I would add my photo of the great conjunction for posterity.

This is as close as I got to taking a photo of it, having my camera standing by ready to go. Thought I may as well make it useful and added it to the tree decorations.

 

[mcrowle]

As expected the conditions were very poor here yesterday, with thick cloud and either drizzle or rain all day and into the night.

Looking a little more hopeful today, though, with only around 50% cloud expected around 4pm. I think I'll get some kit together for a walk to the beach and its low horizon. However, the same forecast shows nearly 100% cloud by 5pm, so I'm still not terribly optimistic. 

Good luck, and skies, all!

Regards, Mike.

[Moonshed]

After total cloud cover last night the weather here is tormenting us with a clear blue sky. However, the forecast is for light cloud from 12:00 until 5:00 when it will become overcast with rain throughout the evening. Typical. We may have a chance on Thursday, possibly.

Edit: 13.25 Tuesday 22nd. This is it now, until it starts to rain.

Edited December 22, 2020 by Moonshed

[mcrowle]

Looks like Thursday is now my best bet, too.

I got as far as having my kit ready in the bag for a walk to the beach, but I didn't even set out. What clear patches there were just recently were all too brief, and the nearly unbroken cloud is fast-moving. 

Best regards, Mike.

[Moonshed]

I was the same, I had my camera and tripod stowed and ready to carry, really not worth taking the scope and all the paraphernalia that entails anywhere in this weather, and was ready to walk across the road and up the farm track to open land 10 minutes away. But like you the precious few gaps in the clouds were all too brief and made it mission impossible, cue music! 

Dun dun dun da dada  Dun dun dun dada dun dun dun da dada...
 

Here’s hoping for Thursday. 🌞

Regards

Keith

Edited December 22, 2020 by Moonshed
Added essential background music

[callisto]

22 hours ago, Moonshed said:

Thought I would add my photo of the great conjunction for posterity.

This is as close as I got to taking a photo of it, having my camera standing by ready to go. Thought I may as well make it useful and added it to the tree decorations.

 

Where can I get that crimbo tree accessory?  😁 🎄

[Nigella Bryant]

26 minutes ago, callisto said:

Where can I get that crimbo tree accessory?  😁 🎄

Could try FLO, although stocks probably low cus of covid variation 😄

[F15Rules]

We had a partial break in the clouds at c 4.25pm..I had been checking in the back garden and suddenly there were the pair..

I ran into the house to fetch my wife, who had expressed interest in "what all the fuss is about" in the media etc. She came out and I showed her the view through my 8x32 binoculars while I whipped out my grab n go 60mm refractor. Fast as I was, the clouds rolled in again and she barely saw anything through the scope, although did catch a short view through the bins.

I had seen the pair about 5 nights back, and what struck me was just how quickly Saturn had appeared to move relative to Jupiter in that few days..this evening Saturn was almost level with Jupiter, to the right (west) of Jupiter as they were chasing down the recently set sun.

Before she went back inside, I showed my wife the 1st quarter moon, which was temporarily clear of the clouds: at 50x in the 60mm Carton F12, the view was razor sharp with superb crater detail. She was quite taken with the view and lingered on it for several minutes..we will make an enthusiast of her yet!

But seriously, a lovely, all too rare wonder of nature, which we have been lucky enough to see "live", and one we will never forget😊👍.

Dave

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

On 21/12/2020 at 14:47, Swoop1 said:

Once in a lifetime opportunity again disrupted by a regular occurrence. Complete cloud cover right now.

 

Pain felt...

The BBC has a nice photo article .

 

[Moonshed]

1 hour ago, callisto said:

Where can I get that crimbo tree accessory?  😁 🎄

The way things are going I would suggest hanging about at your local tip. 🚮 🔭😄

[Swoop1]

4 hours ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

Pain felt...

The BBC has a nice photo article .

 

I love the image of the astrophotographers in the desert outside Kuwait City. My favourite though is the conjunction above Mt Tamalpaise. This combines two of my hobbies- astronomy and cycling. Mt Tamalpaise, which is in Marin County, California, is where Gary Fisher and his buddies started to trick their town bikes and hammer the downhill. Mountain biking was born on that mountain. It also overlooks one of my favourite cities in the world- San Francisco.

[mikemarotta]

It was cloudy, but I was able to see the planets, though no moons or rings.

 

[Moonshed]

This picture is today’s APOD and my goodness isn’t it is just amazing! Don’t we all wish we could take such awesome photos? Some guy who goes by the name Damian Peach took it, anyone here ever  heard of him? 😄

For those that have not yet discovered this excellent site    https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html