Posted on 04/02/2014 8:14:52 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
Explanation: A bright pair of sky objects will be visible together during the next few months. Mars will shine brightly in its familiar rusty hue as it reaches its brightest of 2014 next week. The reason that Mars appears so bright is that Earth and Mars are close to each other in their long orbits around the Sun. Spica, on the other hand, shines constantly as one of the brightest blue stars in the night sky. Pronounced "spy-kah", the blue-hued star has been visible throughout human history and the sounds that identify it today date back to ancient times. Pictured above, the planet and the star were photographed rising together toward the southeast after sunset last week through old oak trees in Sweden.
(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...
[Credit & Copyright: P-M Hedén (Clear Skies, TWAN)]
I noticed that Mars was very bright a few days ago, but it’s been too cloudy to see very much the last couple of nights.
When did trees start growing in outer space?
Seriously, why do it that way? The picture would have been much better without the trees in the way.
Shots like these are more art than science. The newer CCD sensors have opened up this kind of photography.
Yeah, that’s not a big fave here either.
So for now, the old saying would go– “[From the Big Dipper ‘handle’] follow the arc to Arcturus, mosey past Mars, then speed on to Spica...”
The overcast here has been ridiculous the past few weeks. We’ve had the snow vanishing bit by bit, with new snowstorms about once or twice a week throughout March. It has, in short, kinda sucked. But, the bright side is, Mars is much, much colder, and is a long way off even when it gets closest. :’)
Or maybe, “follow that branch on that walnut out to the end...”
Whoops, I should have checked, looks like an oak.
Whoops again, the text (which I hadn’t read) actually sez oaks. [blush]
n/p ;) Didn’t realize they changed the site name to ACoRN tho .....
Stockholm is 60 degrees North. This time of year, Mars and the other planets don’t rise all that far above the horizon. So you might have little choice but to shoot through trees, particularly if you’re operating from a fixed site. Otherwise, it’s haul your gear up to a rooftop or out into an open field where the trees wouldn’t interfere. But, personally, I kind of like this shot as it is, taken through the trees. Creates interest for me. Nothing more boring than a red dot next to a blue dot on a flat featureless background! :-)
That is a nice picture, but I agree that it should be sans trees.
All the stars look white to me. If Mars is red and Spica is blue, I just can’t tell.
It’s still pretty.
We have a half-dozen truly huge oak trees in our back yard, but when I want to
see the stars, I look straight up.
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