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The Mars, Jupiter and Saturn Show

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  • shootnstarz

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    If you're up and about around midnight go outside and look to the south. You will see 4 fairly bright objects around 60 - 70 degrees above the horizon.


    From left to right you will see Mars, Saturn, Antares and Jupiter. Mars is currently very close to Earth, hasn't been this close since 2003. Antares, a very large red giant star, is the heart of Scorpio and is expected to explode in a supernova in the next million years, it's already in it's dying throws as it's swollen to immense size.


    Jupiter is always splendid in a telescope and Saturn's rings are close to maximum declination making it a beautiful target as well. Saturn is always a crowd pleaser at public stargazes, you can tell when somebody sees it for their first time by the ooohs, ahhhs and wows, even been accused of having a picture inside my telescope.


    For a free astronomy program download "Stellarium", when set up to your time and location you can cruise the night sky and see what's up there to see that particular time.


    RH
     

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    shootnstarz

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    Is that an picture from your telescope of Jupiter?


    Nope, a buddy took this one with massive processing, probably over 1000 digital images stacked together to get that kind of detail, 1000 of the best from probably 5000 total shot. But these new astrocameras with cooling and sensitive CMOS sensors along with way above my level photo processing software, folks are turning out some Hubble like images, guys in our own local club.

    Jupiter rotates very fast, takes it only 10 hours to make a complete rotation. That dynamo effect along with it's core of liquid metallic hydrogen gives Jupiter the strongest magnetic field in the solar system except for the Sun. The planet has massive auroras on both poles, the effect of such a strong magnetic field.

    And because of it's immense size and internal pressures Jupiter actually glows in the infrared, meaning it radiates more heat that it receives from the Sun and is the reason for it's stormy, turbulent atmosphere.

    I think the pic is photoshopped but it gives you an idea of the aurora.
     

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    shootnstarz

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    The grouping will be visible for a while, not a one night thing. Mars moves the fastest but is heading toward Jupiter so it and the rest of the planets will be visible for at least a month. Mars is going to be quite big and bright this summer.

    RH
     

    shootnstarz

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    Bummer!! MARTIAN DUST STORM GOES GLOBAL: It's official: A massive dust storm on Mars is now a global event, according to NASA. The storm swallowed NASA's Opportunity rover in early June, silencing the solar powered robot. Two weeks later the dust cloud has encircled all of Mars. NASA's nuclear-powered Curiosity rover is still functioning and reports that the opacity of the air doubled over the weekend, setting a new record for airborne dust.

    This happened last time Mars was this close in 03. Hope it subsides before next month.

    RH
     

    TK5o

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    Forgive my ignorance on space stuff. But, what does that mean for us and why the time limit of next month?
     

    shootnstarz

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    In July Mars will be at it's closest approach to Earth, thus give astronomers the best view of the planet. This does not mean you can't see it this month or the month after, only that July is the best month due to it's closest proximity, called "opposition".

    It has no meaning to Earth other than that, will not be as big as the full moon, will not cause earthquakes or asteroid bombardment, only that the surface detail will be the best you can see from Earth, with a telescope.

    The global dust storm hides all this surface detail, the "canalli", the polar caps, Syritus Major and other details.

    Rick
     

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