Posted on 12/23/2020 3:30:14 PM PST by MtnClimber
Explanation: It was time for their close-up. Two days ago Jupiter and Saturn passed a tenth of a degree from each other in what is known a Great Conjunction. Although the two planets pass each other on the sky every 20 years, this was the closest pass in nearly four centuries. Taken early in day of the Great Conjunction, the featured multiple-exposure combination captures not only both giant planets in a single frame, but also Jupiter's four largest moons (left to right) Callisto, Ganymede, Io, and Europa -- and Saturn's largest moon Titan. If you look very closely, the clear Chilescope image even captures Jupiter's Great Red Spot. The now-separating planets can still be seen remarkably close -- within about a degree -- as they set just after the Sun, toward the west, each night for the remainder of the year.
To see names on the photo for planets and their visible moons, go to the link and hover your cursor over the photo.
For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then zoom by moving the magnifying glass over an area and then clicking. The side bars will move the zoomed area over the photograph.
As someone knowledgable, do you know if the ancient apparent closeness (and maybe Regulus?) was closer than this and did it last more a short period? Otherwise how could the event have guided the journey to Bethlehem?
Saturn, large, Jupiter larger, but the huge black hole like object in back is the US National Deficit.
I have seen articles that speculate about the subject of your question, but I don't know. I have worked on the design of satellites and satellite ground stations, but I am no astrophysicist.
Suitable for framing, or in my case, resized to become Windows wallpaper.
Left and right of Jupiter you see the four Galilean moons, beautifully strung out. Galileo saw them through his crude telescope, and after watching them move for a while realized “Holy S—t, Copernicus is right! The Earth is NOT the center of the universe.” For saying so in public he was sentenced to house arrest for the rest of his life by the Pope. Not very P.C., was Galileo. We call it “cancel culture” today. The Pope was being lenient, the college of cardinals wanted him put to death.
The trips from the homes of the Magi were not short trips.
beautiful
So where’s the great Star of Bethlehem ? I was expecting the conjunction to form a big star. Huge disappointment.
Here is what will happen soon....
https://www.alyudesign.com/images/main/scifi_PlanetCollision.jpg
Nice photo — hard to wrap my brain around it being upside down...I realize this image was taken in Chile.
Thanks for the posts and Merry Christmas!
When I tracked Saturn with a 10x50 binocular, the planet really did look like it had horns
looking southwest from our socal location, we saw these two very close together, one larger than the other and the larger one had a bright spot above it. Maybe one of Jupiter’s moons? or even Titan. Whatever it was, it was very cool to see and to notice that these two lined up with the moon and another two stars in a line beyond the moon.
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