Five Moons - Single Exposure!

[Mandy D]

The close alignment of Jupiter and Luna on 2024 01 18, 17:20 created an opportunity to capture 5 moons in a single exposure. The sky was not playing nicely, so I ended up with a haze around Earth's moon, but some serious pushing of the image resulted in clearly defined points for (left to right) Callisto, Ganymede, Io, Europa and an expoure for Luna (top right) that shows some detail. With clearer skies, I am sure this could have been a lot better.

Nikon D800, 300 mm f/4 prime lens. 1/125s, f/8, ISO-200. Final processing in GIMP to adjust the exposure curve. Nothing else.

You may have to zoom in to see Jupiter's moons.

Edited January 20 by Mandy D
Technical details added.

[Paul M]

That's great.

It gives a good reference for the scale of the Jovian system to the unaided eye. I don't hear it talked about much these days but I remember reading that some people can see the Galilean Moons with the unaided eye. I'm not in that group of people! 

[Mandy D]

@Paul M Thanks!

I hadn't even thought about scale! But, i do recall spotting Ganymede with the naked eye during an evening astronomy session after school when I was about thirteen. The physics teacher asked me where it was before I looked through the telescope to confirm I'd seen it!

I've also just noticed that Earthshine is visible on the night side of the Moon, too.

[Paul M]

18 minutes ago, Mandy D said:

i do recall spotting Ganymede with the naked eye during an evening astronomy session after school when I was about thirteen.

Oh, to have young eyes again. But even at 13 I was in denial about needing glasses. Something I his until I was 18... 

Anyway, I remember tying to discern the phase of Venus when it was heading in to inferior conjunction. No chance!