Jupiter & Saturn Outreach!!

[cloudsweeper]

4.30pm - sky fairly clear, so I decided to try for Jupiter and Saturn in case it's cloudy tomorrow.  Had to go a short drive because they are now behind trees where I live.  I strapped the little ED80 Apo into a rear seatbelt, placed mount and tripod in the boot, drove for a few minutes, and parked off a local track.

4.45pm - got them both in the EP (TV Radian, x80, 0.75deg field).  Io was very close to the disc of Jupiter, but the other three made a line, then Saturn was up a bit from Callisto making an L shape.  Great to see Saturn so close to those moons.

A man walking his dog asked what I was looking at, so I explained about the super-conjunction and how it last occurred hundreds of years ago, and let him have a look (without touching the 'scope, and with me standing aside).  He was delighted, having thought Jupiter was a star.  Then a woman (also walking a dog) joined in, and I pointed out Jupiter, also Saturn (which by then had emerged to the naked eye).  She too was pleased, and even more so when I pointed out Mars in all its glorious redness.  They went off talking about telling their spouses and thinking about getting telescopes!

Great view, interesting interactions!

Doug.

 

[cloudsweeper]

As if that wasn't enough, I forgot to mention that while there I saw a lovely barn owl, close, flying low, and hovering over his supper.  Icing on the cake or what?

Doug.

[John]

Great stuff all round Doug

 

[Paz]

Nice report. It's funny how strangers talk to you when you have a scope out in a public place.

[Carbon Brush]

That was a good report. I went to a layby. All I got was glaring headlights, draft from fast trucks and constant noise from a nearby wind turbine!

[cloudsweeper]

10 hours ago, Carbon Brush said:

That was a good report. I went to a layby. All I got was glaring headlights, draft from fast trucks and constant noise from a nearby wind turbine!

That's a shame CB!  I tried a layby on a country road once - useless! - you only realise the amount of traffic there is when you've stopped for several minutes!  And I hadn't imagined how fond of artificial light farmers were!

Where I was yesterday was good though as it was a short blind branch off a track leading only to a car park used mainly by dog-walkers.  🙂

Doug.