Venus, Jupiter and the Moon Gather for Thanksgiving Feast

[Admin]

This week, Venus and Jupiter are very low in the southwest during the chilly November dusk.

Venus, Jupiter and the Moon Gather for Thanksgiving Feast : Read more

 

[rod]

Good report and glad to see Starry Night software used too Venus and Jupiter close conjunction were very lovey view in my area the evening of 24th, shortly after sunset. I had a great time viewing with my binoculars and telescope too. Both planets and the 4 Galilean moons just fit into the field of view at 25x, especially near 1720 EST and after when the sky getting darker and easier to see the Galilean moons. Telescope observation of an inferior and superior planet with its moons

 

[TBFFX]

This week, Venus and Jupiter are very low in the southwest during the chilly November dusk.

Venus, Jupiter and the Moon Gather for Thanksgiving Feast : Read more

Is this a syzygy?

 

[rod]

is this a syzygy?

If we go with this definition - ": the nearly straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies (such as the sun, moon, and earth during a solar or lunar eclipse) in a gravitational system"

My answer is no. As a close conjunction, Venus and Jupiter shared close celestial coordinates in the evening sky at sunset. Venus was in the lower elevation position, Jupiter near 2:00 position of Venus and the Sun just set at my location near 1648 EST. My refractor telescope provided a mirror reverse view, Venus near 4:00 position and Jupiter with 4 Galilean moons near the 10:00 position in the eyepiece view - nearly 1.8-degrees true field of view. It was a very interesting view to ponder