Venus and Saturn

With Venus quickly moving towards inferior conjunction and each day setting closer to the Sun, I took the opportunity to observe its waning crescent. I could not use the telescope because it was too low for the scope from my observing location, but through my 15x70 binoculars the crescent was clearly visible in the twilight.

Later, at about 21:30 local time (20:30 UTC), I observed Saturn through my 200mm dobson telescope. I went for a magnification of x200 using my 6mm eyepiece. The rings are almost edge on but I could still see the very narrow gap between the rings and the planet. Of the moons, I could easily see Titan immediately to the East of the planet, and Rhea further out. Dione was faintly visible between them. I did manage to glimpse Tethys just outside the rings' Western tip but I couldn't see Enceladus which should have been just north of Titan.

Two Conjunctions

2008 left us with a great view of two simultaneous conjunctions. On the last evening of the year the 15% crescent Moon lay about 2 degrees away from Venus while lower down, just above the horizon the largest and smallest planets, Jupiter and Mercury, were just about one degree apart. This was a great opportunity to see three planets including the elusive Mercury in the same part of the sky all within about eight degrees. Although not visible to the naked eye, Neptune was only about 2.5 degrees away from the Moon making it a triple conjunction.

Later on, after the midnight champagne, at around one o'clock at night I could observe Saturn in Leo close to the border with Virgo, making it four out of a possible five visible planets in one night.

Triple conjunction - Venus, Jupiter & The Moon

A stunning triple conjunction graced the skies this evening. At my latitude, a gibbous Venus grazed the the moon, coming extremely close but was never eclipsed. Jupiter was a couple of degrees away forming an amazing trio. Above are a couple of photos I took of the event. One through the 200mm dobson and the other through a tripod mounted SLR.

During the conjunction, Europa entered occultation behind Jupiter as Callisto was out to the West and Io and Ganymede were paired close together to the East. It is curious to note that at that point there was a syzygy between five bodies; the Earth, the Moon, Venus, Jupiter and Europa.

Vesta continues in its movement towards Alpha Piscium. Tonight it formed a flat isoceles triangle with TYC0040-01286-1 and 112 Psc which in turn form a rough equilateral triangle with Alpha Piscium.

Venus, Jupiter and the Moon

Look to the West tomorrow evening just after sunset for the spectacular triple conjunction of Venus, Jupiter and the crescent Moon. This is a rare astronomical treat, not to be missed. The objects are bright enough to be visible even in light polluted skies. I prepared a view of the event for my location on "Cartes de Ciel" software.

Meanwhile Vesta may be observed, even only through binoculars, slowly creeping towards Alpha Piscium (Alrischa).