Moon, Jupiter, and Venus Conjunction--next showing, 2052

Before I get to the conjunction, I just want to mention that I've been out of town since last Wednesday. I had a fantastic visit with family and am only just now catching up with email. I stopped reading and composing long enough to run out and shoot the conjunction tonight, though. I'll be catching up with everybody's blogs this week. Can't wait to see what y'all have been up to!

Thanks to Blackholes and Astrostuff I was alerted to tonight's Moon/Venus/Jupiter conjunction--it won't occur again for 44 years. My photos are terrible but I don't care. I'm just happy that I was aware of the coming conjunction. Thanks to Bob, I spent the last several nights watching the planets get (seemingly) closer in the sky. While visiting my Dad and Mamman Claudette for Thanksgiving I pointed out Jupiter and Venus low on the horizon and Dad raced to get his telescope but it had been so long since he'd used it that none of the right pieces were attached for what we were trying to view and the planets dropped before we could get the scope properly set up. That's okay, we tried! And just being even somewhat aware and willing to experience what's going on in the universe around you is something, as far as I'm concerned.

Pops lives in Austin where you're lucky to see any stars at all in the night sky. But Venus and Jupiter are very hard to miss right now as they are so bright, so close, and so easily spotted on the horizon at and after sunset. For a while (Bob could tell me exactly for how long) you can see them as the sun is setting and for a few hours after.

Above: That white streak going by the moon and two planets was a commercial jet zipping through the sky--click the image to enlarge it and see what I'm talking about. You might have to strain your eyes a bit to see though.

Above: Even though my conjunction photos, well, suck, I am still proud of the fact that I captured a little Earthshine on the moon. A click will enlarge the image. Leonardo Da Vinci was the first to figure out what Earthshine was (more or less, he didn't have it exactly right but he was close enough) and that's why it's sometimes known as Da Vinci Glow. Earthshine is also known as "ashen glow" or "the old moon in the new moon's arms."

Read more about the conjunction at EarthSky.org or check Blackholes and Astrostuff because Bob got some great photos. His blog is worth a visit anytime, regardless.