Excelsior! Academy Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 They are in a line. We have both our telescopes out tonight. The view is almost as good without them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go_go_gadget Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Thanks for reminding me! We saw them earlier and I made a mental (and apparently totally ineffectual :D) note to check which celestial bodies they were when we got home, but only remembered when I saw this thread. We didn't have time to bring out the telescope, but it was striking even without. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I see nuttin'. (We're having typical Washington rainy weather.) I did see them the other day, though, and called DS outside. I pointed to them and said, go inside and find out what they are. He didn't need to go check; he knew they were Jupiter and Venus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaffodilDreams Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 So that's what that line was! : ) We wondered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmMusa Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 We saw it driving home from my dad's. Spectacular! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tohru Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 So that's what that line was! : ) We wondered. :iagree: Thank you! My ds and I were out and enraptured by the view, however couldn't figure out if it was a natural celestial thing, a satellite, or another weird military thing hovering over our city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I missed it. Any chance there will be a repeat performance tonight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Yup! We were walking out of a restaurant and my kids were going on and on about Jupiter and Venus. Got some funny looks, but that's okay! It was a beautiful night here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Yes! We saw them two nights in a row. The skies were so clear. They were bright and perfect! Very cool since my 1st grader and I are doing Apologia's elementary astronomy right now.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rieshy Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 They are in a line. We have both our telescopes out tonight. The view is almost as good without them. Trooped all the kiddos out into the cold last night to see it. Mars is visible too. 2 weeks ago we got to see the Space Station pass overhead.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristineW Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Saw them Thursday night. Hoping to get the telescope out tonight. Sky and Telescope doesn't have them in such a pretty line tonight but the moon and Venus seem very close to each other with Jupiter overhead. http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/ataglance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 We were able to see them tonight. With our binoculars we could make out some of Jupiter's moons. Very cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Wisc Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 (edited) I missed it. Any chance there will be a repeat performance tonight? The next two nights, the moon will still be in the west at twilight and will be near the two planets. By mid-March, the two planets will get within 5 degrees of each other--that means you could cover both of them up with your outstretched hand. By the end of March, Jupiter will have passed Venus and will be closer to the horizon. March 24-26ish the moon will once more be shining near the two planets, but this time it will be Venus that is higher in the sky. Turn a pair of binoculars onto the two planets if you don't have a telescope. If you watch Venus over time, you will see that it is going through the same stages as the moon--crescent, half, whole. And if you look at Jupiter, you might be able to see up to four star-like pin pricks of light which are Jupiter's 4 largest moons. Enjoy! Jean Edited February 26, 2012 by Jean in Wisc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly1730 Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Oh, how cool! Thank you for posting this. We are studying Astronomy this semester, just finished Venus and the Moon is next. This is perfect!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 If you get the chance to see Jupiter at an observatory - it's stunning. We had seen it a few years ago and saw 4 or 5 of its moons. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendi Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Is that what planets they are? We were outside last night and I noticed the two brilliant planets near the moon. I wish I had a telescope! Wendi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tranquility7 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Thanks so much for sharing this!! We enjoyed looking tonight. DS got a telescope for his birthday MANY months ago and we are embarrassed to admit that this was the first time we ever used it!!! Bad, bad parents we are! But we are glad we got a look at Jupiter and Venus tonight. So fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSinNH Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 It was beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma23peas Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 They are in a line. We have both our telescopes out tonight. The view is almost as good without them. Which one is the closest to the moon? I have been watching that 'star' planet closest to the moon (we're in AL) for 2 years now...and sometimes there is a 2nd bright 'body' a bit of a distance away...so are both of those the planets? Or are they a bright star? I'm confused! I'm horrible at reading constellation maps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrappyhappymama Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 We saw them tonight- gorgeous!! BY the time we got home and got the telescope out, Venus had set, but we saw Jupiter and four moons. We also checked out Mars and Sirius tonight. If you have a smart phone, one of our favorite apps is Google Sky. With it, you can point your phone at the sky and it will identify the constellations and stars and planets. It has helped my boys learn a lot of star names in the constellations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Wisc Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Which one is the closest to the moon? I have been watching that 'star' planet closest to the moon (we're in AL) for 2 years now...and sometimes there is a 2nd bright 'body' a bit of a distance away...so are both of those the planets? Or are they a bright star? I'm confused! I'm horrible at reading constellation maps! The moon moves through the sky at a different speed than the stars. If you check http://earthsky.org/tonight, they often will show you where the moon is and what stars it is close to. Last night it was closer to Jupiter than to Venus. Tonight the moon will be even further away from Jupiter as it is moving a little further to the east each night. Planets normally look like bright stars when viewing them with the naked eye. Venus and Jupiter are the brightest planets, but Jupiter will fade in brightness as the months go buy since we will be moving further away from it throughout 2012. Venus will swing back around the sun over the next few months and then it will appear in the morning sky just before sunrise. By this time next month, Jupiter will have moved further west. She will pass Venus, and Jupiter will be closer to the horizon than Venus. If you go out and to take a look at them each night that it is clear over the next month, you will see Jupiter grow closer and closer to Venus and then move on closer to the horizon. Enjoy! Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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