The Great Conjunction

[Country Bladesmith]

I've been watching the progression for a couple of weeks now. It's been cloudy for a week. Hope the skies clear up soon.

Is this the Christmas Star phenomena?

Yeah. I noticed how close they were the other night. At least I think I was looking in the right place.

 

[tomatamot]

People might think you’re French!
I kid, I kid.

My Late Mother has French roots, but I'm a Dutchman and a life time member of the Broken Riffle Movement.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I've been watching the progression for a couple of weeks now. It's been cloudy for a week. Hope the skies clear up soon.

Is this the Christmas Star phenomena?

Yes, some call it that, but it's planets, not stars.

Where abouts are you?

 

[briarbuck]

Yes, some call it that, but it's planets, not stars.

Where abouts are you?

I am in Southern Ohio. It's been overcast.

"Christmas Star" is a misnomer. I should have said "Really bright planets coming together to look like one star".

 

[Country Bladesmith]

I am in Southern Ohio. It's been overcast.

"Christmas Star" is a misnomer. I should have said "Really bright planets coming together to look like one star".

If I’ve been looking in the right place, it’s to the southwest, and I suppose it would be about the same for everyone in North America. ?‍

 

[stevecourtright]

"17.5" Someone owns one of those old Coulter light buckets.... My Coulter 10" will be out tomorrow if seeing is good - it will, of course, be cloudy tonight, because Astronomy (and living in the Midwest)...

 

[kcghost]

The Conjunction is a wonderful thing to look at.

 

[musicman]

"17.5" Someone owns one of those old Coulter light buckets.... My Coulter 10" will be out tomorrow if seeing is good - it will, of course, be cloudy tonight, because Astronomy (and living in the Midwest)...

Actually, it's not! I bought it used and was thinking the same thing when the guy on Astromart first wrote me about it, but it was actually home built by a master craftsman. The builder even ground his own mirror and then sent it to Galaxy Optics for finishing, testing, and coating. The mirror is on a par with Zambuto, as far as the testing is concerned.

I do, however, remember my first view through one of those 17.5 inch Coulters, back in the 80s as a kid. I was bowled over by both the size of the thing, and what you could see with it! After that, a big dob was on my bucket list, but it wasn't until this past summer that it became a reality.

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

Actually, it's not! I bought it used and was thinking the same thing when the guy on Astromart first wrote me about it, but it was actually home built by a master craftsman. The builder even ground his own mirror and then sent it to Galaxy Optics for finishing, testing, and coating. The mirror is on a par with Zambuto, as far as the testing is concerned.

I do, however, remember my first view through one of those 17.5 inch Coulters, back in the 80s as a kid. I was bowled over by both the size of the thing, and what you could see with it! After that, a big dob was on my bucket list, but it wasn't until this past summer that it became a reality.

These days certain Nikon cameras that can be obtained used for like $80 can be used to effectively stargaze

 

[jpmcwjr]

Well, it's never cloudy in AZ, is it? So you should have a great view. Good luck!

 

[B_Rock]

I also have been watching the progression the past few weeks. It’s been cool and clear in San Jose - perfect viewing from the deck while smoking my late afternoon pipe.

The bigger question is what is the greatest conjunction? And, but, for, so, nor...or yet?

 

[jpmcwjr]

When the earth collides with almost anything bigger than the Empire State Building.

 

[musicman]

Well, it's never cloudy in AZ, is it? So you should have a great view. Good luck!

Here in Tucson it's sunny for at least a portion of the day 350 days of the year. It's a great place to live if your hobby is amateur astronomy!

I paid my dues though. I grew up in one of the cloudiest cities in the country (Portland, OR), and then lived for 15 years in Minnesota, where the best time of the year for observing (winter) also features -20 degree weather!

I probably won't be able to stay in Arizona forever, but if I could, I probably would, and at least 80 percent of the reason is the weather.

 

[shanez]

Having recently moved I know where my telescope is but I've no idea where the tripod is. Luckily my scope is an ancient ETX 90 (perfect for viewing planets) so I'll just set up on a table.

 

[olkofri]

There's also the Christmas asteroid:

Asteroid as big as Salisbury Cathedral set to pass Earth on Christmas

AN ASTEROID as big as Salisbury Cathedral is due to have a close encounter with Earth on Christmas Day, according to NASA.

www.express.co.uk

And the Geminids meteor shower.

Heaven is celebrating Christmas, they're not locked down. ?

 

[stevecourtright]

Actually, it's not! I bought it used and was thinking the same thing when the guy on Astromart first wrote me about it, but it was actually home built by a master craftsman. The builder even ground his own mirror and then sent it to Galaxy Optics for finishing, testing, and coating. The mirror is on a par with Zambuto, as far as the testing is concerned.

I do, however, remember my first view through one of those 17.5 inch Coulters, back in the 80s as a kid. I was bowled over by both the size of the thing, and what you could see with it! After that, a big dob was on my bucket list, but it wasn't until this past summer that it became a reality.

Even better, some of those Coulters are wretched if you want to apply any magnification. Mine is completely custom in all aspects except the tube itself. So while it's pretty tweaked, it's no Zambuto. Happy viewing!!!

 

[Infantry23]

Bummer, cloudy and foggy here. Can't see it

 

[Bengel]

I had to work inside, anyone have pictures they could post from where they are at?

 

[swampgrizzly]

If you have any interest at all in astronomy, physics, or just a curious mind, I'd encourage you to look to the SW portion of the sky tonight 30-60 minutes after sunset to see the great conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. A conjunction, in astronomy, is when two celestial bodies appear from earth to be very close together (although, of course, they are still very far apart). A "great conjunction" refers to a conjunction of the two biggest planets in our solar system. This will be the closest the two planets will appear in the night sky in about 800 years, so it's truly a once in a lifetime astronomical event.

To the unaided eye, they will appear as if they are a close double star in the sky, and through a telescope, they will appear in the same field of view. I'll be out in the desert with the wife and two scopes, an 80mm refractor, and a 17.5 inch reflector. I had the refractor out on the deck tonight, and it was really cool to see both the cloud bands of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn in the same telescope view. Check it out, and if you have any sort of scope or binoculars, use those as well!

People are calling this a "Christmas star," which is kind of a misnomer, as they are planets, not stars, but some astronomers, such as Johannes Kepler, posited that the star of Bethlehem that is referred in the story of the Magi visit to the newborn Jesus might have been a great conjunction that occurred around that time!

We lucked up with a clear night here after a couple of weeks of overcast nights. I was able to see the conjunction with unaided eyes and what I think was one of Jupiter's moons when viewing with my binoculars. A deer hunting friend said he could see Saturn's rings through his rifle's scope. Mars was also viewable tonight with unaided eyes higher up in the sky and on the opposite side of Earth's moon. Though this was interesting to see, as was the Comet Neowise earlier this year, and the Perseid meteor showers this summer, I enjoy seeing the satellite trains more, especially when they are in their low initial orbits.

 

[Akousticplyr]

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I remember the grand alignment that happened in '82. Folks thought end times had come.

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You mean the "Pretty Good Alignment" right?