Jupiter making closest approach to Earth in 50 years

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crazyeddie

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Don't miss this rare event: Jupiter and Uranus less than one degree apart!


Better catch Jupiter next week in the night sky. It won't be that big or bright again until 2022. Jupiter will pass 368 million miles from Earth late Monday, its closest approach since 1963. You can see it low in the east around dusk. Around midnight, it will be directly overhead. That's because Earth will be passing between Jupiter and the sun, into the wee hours of Tuesday.

The solar system's largest planet already appears as an incredibly bright star — three times brighter than the brightest star in the sky, Sirius. The only thing brighter in the night sky right now is our moon. Binoculars and telescopes will dramatically improve the view as Jupiter, along with its many moons, rises in the east as the sun sets.

"Jupiter is so bright right now, you don't need a sky map to find it," said Tony Phillips, a California astronomer under contract with NASA. "You just walk outside and see it. It's so eye-catching, there it is."

Phillips has never seen Jupiter so bright. "To an experienced observer, the difference is notable," he said Friday.

Coincidentally, Uranus also will make a close approach the same night. It will appear close to Jupiter but harder to see with the naked eye. Through a telescope, it will shine like an emerald-colored disk less than one degree from Jupiter.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... z0zpRoYw6r
 
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MeteorWayne

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Hi eddie, the way things work lately, this is better off in Ask the Astronomer, so will move it there, but leave the bread crumb trail here in SS&A.

MW
 
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bdewoody

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Boris_Badenov":t1o5avjj said:
Will it be as big as a full moon? :lol:
No. I went out around midnight last night and it was very bright but very small. I noticed Jupiter seemed unusually bright but didn't know we are at closest approach until I read this. Thanks Eddie
 
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vmckague

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The article says Jupiter in the brightest object in the night sky except the moon. I see Jupiter in the east but what is the object that is brighter than Jupiter in the western evening sky? Wouldn't that make Jupiter the 3rd brightest? I'm a newbe here so maybe I am confused more than usual. :oops:
 
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MeteorWayne

Guest
The object in the west at sunset is Venus. And it is brighter than Jupiter (kind of sloppy writing..I'm shocked! :shock: )

But Venus is now setting about the time astronomical twilight ends (~ 1 hr after sunset), before the sky gets really dark, and is quite low, so unless there's a good western horizon (no buildings or trees), it's hard to see. On the other hand, Jupiter rises before sunset and is visible all night long.

Venus is mag -4.5, Jupiter mag -2.9

MW
 
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adrenalynn

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But But - if SFGate said it - it _must be true!_

TheSkyX Level IV puts Venus at -4.6 and Jupiter at -2.9 - close enough for me! (inserted to stay on topic but still get my dig in at SFGate...)
 
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