Thanks to JPL and Caltech, Pasadena's full of rocket scientists. There's one living across the street from me, a handsome guy who rides his bike to work and has better things to do than answer my questions about the sky. So when I want to know what's going on up there I check Stardate.You'll have to click on this photo to enlarge it and see the giant star near the moon. It's been out for a while now. I figured it probably wasn't a star. Sure enough, it's Jupiter. Stardate says, "Even through the lunar glare, binoculars should reveal Europa and Jupiter's three other big moons. They look like tiny stars lined up quite close to the planet -- worlds with their own intriguing stories."
I don't have binoculars, but maybe you do. Get them ready. Jupiter will be out again tonight over your rooftop and mine.
15 comments:
In my younger daze, I had a telescope. Even thought i would wana bcome an astronomer.
Remember seeing all kinds of universal things w/ my scope from my backyard: planets like Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter. Then putting on a sun filter to ck out those sunspots.
I always wanted a larger telescope but they were so expensive. Now, I've come down to earth & just wanna get a new cam for cking out things here on this planet.
I guess you've exhausted things here on earth for shooting. "Petrea has left the planet."
How did I miss this? Thank you for making sure I don't miss it tonight. Beautiful.
According to web sources, Jupiter's orbit brings the gasbag as close to us as 365 million miles. One site says "If you could drive a car going 60 miles an hour to Jupiter, it would take you about 950 years to get there." So, at $4.12 a gallon …
Wow, Petrea. Thanks for pointing this out! I used to read the Farmer's Almanac to stay up to date on sky watching events. Glad I know to look up tonight.
Cool shot, too.
Petrea...what a cool shot!
Bernie...Unfortunately, I know several "gasbags" who are a lot closer than 365 million miles.
This is a spooky post! I've been out tonight (Thursday) and on my way home the sky was clear and the moon was bright. I tried to take a few photos but they were all blurry. I saw this light next to moon and wonder what planet it was - now I know! :)
Bernie, Prius or Explorer?
How very cool!! My kids love to look at the stars so they'll have to get out their binocs later. (except it doesn't get dark here until after 10 pm! Oh well, a little lost sleep is worth it!)
Thanks, Petrea!
My goodness, Observer, you observer just about everything, don't you? Except I don't think I'll ever run out of things to photograph.
Altadenahiker, you're welcome. I was amazed at how brightly it showed up in the photo. I was just trying to get a shot of the moon. Usually I sharpen photos, but it made this one look weird. This is how it photographed, with no messin'.
Bernie, I'm only going if it's an electric car. Ask Altadenahiker.
Laurie, you read the Farmer's Almanac? Thirsty for knowledge, girl.
Laughing at the gasbag joke, Coltrane.
Tripod, Marley. It's the only way I can take a non-blurry shot at night. Or set the camera on a hard surface and click away. By the way, I love your shot today.
Christie, one thing I love about the northern climes is that late evening summer sun! I once spent a summer at Oxford and was enchanted the whole time by the light.
Very nice! I love astronomy photos and hearing about events to watch. My eighth grade science project was copying out the different shapes of galaxies from an encyclopedia, using chalk on black construction paper. Procrastination had gotten the better of me, so I was up most of the night.
My desktop background is a Galileo image of the part of Jupiter with the Red Spot. I'll come across other images that would make great wallpaper, but I can never seem to part with what I have.
But enough about me. Let's hear you talk about me. ;^)
On second look, the hairs rose on my neck: I thought I saw a witch tiptoeing across your roofspine, photo right. I imagined her pointed leather shoes creaking as she crept across the shingles … then saw it was only a tree-branch.
Now, alone in my house, I wonder: what's that odd scratching I hear through my ceiling …?
Better get the flashlight.
Fantastic image, Petrea! This would be a perfect Sky Watch Friday post!
Wow... I didn't know about this. Will show to my kids. Very neat!
Elaine, you're back! Or you got to a computer. The studio I work in on Thursdays has a beautiful screensaver with rotating shots of planets and galaxies; one's a shot of Jupiter. Mesmerizing. Woops. That wasn't about you. Glad you're back.
Fun to have a good imagination, Bernie. It's where good stories come from.
Thank you, Louis! I thought of that, but haven't signed up to participate. The more I require of myself the less I get done!
Hi Irina! Thanks.
You're right. I checked the roof …nobody there but a bunch of crows.
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