As the Moon slides along the line of planets in the evening sky, it becomes Jupiter’s turn to make a pair. The Moon and Jupiter will be under 4° apart tonight. A brilliant pair with the -2.2 magnitude Jupiter beside a 25% illuminated crescent Moon.
Category: Sky Events
Sky events
Finding Venus in the Daytime
It is possible to see planets in the daytime. Both Jupiter and Venus are bright enough to see fairly easily in full daylight if conditions are right. You need to know where and how to look, but once glimpsed they are fairly easily seen. It is the knowing how that makes it possible. Try these simple hints…
- Try when the planets are far from the glare of the Sun, in the first hours after dawn or last hours of the day are best.
- Clean air is necessary. If the air is hazy, dusty or smoggy it will hide the planets from view, particularly when near the Sun. There will just be too much solar glare to pick out the planet. For the same reason try when the planet is high in the sky and you are looking through much less air.
- The human eye will relax and defocus if there is nothing to focus on. This happens when looking at a plain expanse of blue sky. You could be looking right at the planet and not see it. A few puffy clouds around, or better yet, the Moon, will give the eye something to focus on, allowing the planet to be easily seen.
- Put the Sun out of sight to reduce glare. Simply position yourself in the shadow of a tree or building to get a better view.
- Pick a day when the Moon is near the object you are looking for, it will provide a simple signpost to the correct location.
It is this last hint that can be particularly useful today. Venus is about 4° degrees south of the Moon this afternoon. If you can find the Moon in the late afternoon check just below it and to the left for Venus. The planet will be about a eight lunar diameters away from the Moon, seen as a bright star-like object. Tomorrow it will be Jupiter’s turn, and you can try again to see a planet in the daytime.
Have a try.
Mars Opposition Reminder
One week from today, on March 3rd, the planet Mars will pass through opposition.
Mars orbits the Sun every 1.88 years, with Earth only taking one year for each orbit. Like two runners on a track the two planets race each other around the Sun. But we have the inside lane, lapping the red planet every two years. These events are called opposition, when Mars is closest to us and best positioned for viewing by earthbound telescopes.
Closest approach of the two planets is not necessarily on the same day as opposition, but can vary up to two weeks. This year closest approach will occur March 5th with the two planets approaching to 99,331,411 km (61,721,554 miles) at 07:01HST.1 At this distance the red planet will show a disk 13.89″ arc-seconds across in the eyepiece.2
Mars during the 2005 opposition
Do not worry about viewing on the 3rd or 5th, any time in the month leading up to and after opposition the viewing will be very good. With even a modest telescope it should be possible to see the bright polar caps and light and dark markings on the planet.
All month Mars will be visible throughout the night, high in the sky at midnight. This is the time to enjoy observing our closest neighboring planet while it is nearby and high in the night sky.
1) 2012 Mars Opposition at SEDS
2) The 2012 Aphelic Apparition of Mars
The Moon and Venus
Yesterday saw the Moon near Venus, tonight will see the pair even closer. It will be hard to miss the bright pair only 5° apart. Venus will be shining brilliantly at about -4.2 magnitude next to a 17% illuminated Moon. Jupiter can be seen 16° above the pair. Mercury is visible just above the sunset.
The Moon and Venus
The nice evening planetary alignment continues tonight. This evening will feature a nice pairing of Venus and the Moon. It will be hard to miss the bright pair only 8° apart. Venus will be shining brilliantly at about -4.2 magnitude next to a 10% illuminated Moon. Jupiter can be seen 16° above the pair. Mercury is visible just above the sunset. The Moon and Venus will be even closer tomorrow night, only 5° apart.
Postcard from the Universe – The Moon and Mercury
A very thin Moon could be seen last night. Only 1.1 days old the Moon was only 1.6% illuminated, a thin crescent indeed. A few degrees away was Mercury. I did get a couple photos with a telephoto lens before the clouds moved in and obscured the view…
The Moon and Mercury
This evening a thin crescent Moon will join Mercury in the sunset. The pair will be separated by just under 6°, at about the same elevation and 15° above the horizon at sunset. The Moon will be extremely thin, only 1.7% illuminated, while Mercury is shining at -1.2 magnitude.
New Moon
Neptune at Superior Conjunction
Today will see Neptune pass through superior conjunction with the Sun at 09:53HST. The planet will reappear in the dawn during the first weeks of March.
A Line of Bright Planets in the Evening
A nice lineup of three bright planets will be forming in the sunset over the next couple weeks. There will be three bright planets, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter, and a faint planet in the lineup, Uranus. Together they will nicely outline the ecliptic in the evening sky.
Tonight you can see this lineup taking shape, looking low, just above the glare of the setting Sun you might pick out Mercury. It is only 10° from the sun this evening, but getting higher each day. High above, Venus and Jupiter can not be missed, Venus at about 40° elevation at sunset, with Jupiter even higher at 60° elevation. Venus shines much brighter than Jupiter at about -4.2 magnitude while Jupter is only -2.3 magnitude. Uranus is hiding about halfway between Mercury and Venus at a mere 5.9 magnitude.
Over the next two weeks Mercury will climb higher, reaching maximum elongation on March 5th. At the same time Jupiter and Venus will draw closer, having a separation of about 9° on the 5th. The pair will be closest on March 13th, at about 3° separation. As March slips by, Mercury will drop back into the Sun’s glare and Jupiter and Venus will separate once again. Still, the bright pair dominating the evening sky through much of the month.
While the lineup is still prominent, the Moon will swing through the alignment from February 22nd to the 27th. On February 22nd a 1.8% illuminated Moon will pair up with Mercury, just 6° away. On the 24th and 25th the Moon will sidle up to Venus, under 5° away on the 25th. On the 26th the Moon will be near Jupiter, with under 4° away and 25% illuminated.
One last dance of the alignment will occur on March 25th when a crescent Moon will join Jupiter and Venus. The planets will be about 10° apart with a 11% illuminated Moon in between them. A very nice trio indeed.
Late February and much of March will be a nice show for sky watchers. Make a point to get out and look!