Space Distraction

[Peanut]

Is the sky going to look like this at dusk tomorrow?. I was outside this evening but I was working on a gate and didn't look up.

 

[kd4ulw]

The moon will be a bit further east, not quite in this alignment but close.

 

[viking]

@bkt It is Mars.

Jupiter went behind my garage before I could get a good picture with the camera attached to the telescope. I did manage this one taken from the eyepiece with my cellphone (no exposure control). Hopeful for better conditions this winter and some better equipment.

View attachment 49961

I don't remember how many years ago it was but I used to be able to see the moons with just my eye glasses on, maybe with the new glasses I'm getting, I'll be able to see them again with just eye glasses

 

[Supervisor42]

I got to watch the SpaceX reentry tonight!
It was surprisingly awesome!
(Not my video, but close by):

 

[Bacpacker]

The ISS (space Station will be flying over here around 5:45 tomorrow morning. Takes 4 minutes from horizon to horizon

 

[Peanut]

Saw a bright star to the SW about 1900hrs this evening. Fully dark after sundown, had to be venus or another planet, too bright.

Anyone know?

 

[Neb]

Saw a bright star to the SW about 1900hrs this evening. Fully dark after sundown, had to be venus or another planet, too bright.

Anyone know?

My sister dragged me outside in my slippers to see it last night. I tried using a spotting scope to get a better look but my hands were too shaky.

Ben

 

[Bacpacker]

Here right around dark Venus is low on the SW horizon. Jupiter is closer to over head at the same time. Saturn is roughly halfway between them.
Currently Jupiter is about ready to set. Venus and Saturn already have.

Also we have a comet to the north east early in the morning for the next several days.

| EarthSky

 

[Peanut]

Here right around dark Venus is low on the SW horizon. Jupiter is closer to over head at the same time. Saturn is roughly halfway between them.
Currently Jupiter is about ready to set. Venus and Saturn already have.

Also we have a comet to the north east early in the morning for the next several days.

| EarthSky

Thanks for the link! It's better than the ones I had. Anyway, thought it might be Venus.

 

[Patchouli]

I read there was a new comet, The Leonard, and would be visible this week in the early morning, or next week maybe, in the evening.
https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/comet-leonard-might-become-2021s-brightest-2022/Check it out!
Just read the article, I am not certain of the timing, too tired.

 

[Bacpacker]

I've been watching the planets to the west for several weeks now. Pretty cool to see Venus so high just as it gets dark. It usually much lower in the sky.
Tried to find the comet this morning. But was too light already. Need to get the binos out too. Always makes it easier

 

[SheepDog]

Venus is a bit more south than I usually see it so it's a good bet that it was Venus.

 

[Bacpacker]

Yes it is. Nearly exactly southwest at my place. It is normally much closer to due west.
I'll see if my pic last night turned out of Jupiter and the moon just over the horizon.

 

[Bacpacker]

Not a great pic. Never mind the lights at the bottom. House on other side of the hill.
2nd one is this mornings sunrise

 

[kd4ulw]

Monday night Moon and Orion Nebula.

 

[Bacpacker]

Great Pics. Very good indeed

 

[bkt]

Dude, those are outstanding! Super-crisp and you got color in Orion! Very nice work.

 

[kd4ulw]

Thanks, there is much to learn but that is half the fun!

 

[kd4ulw]

Comet Leonard 12-20-2021. Very low and hard to get an image with it being so near the twilight horizon.

 

[Bacpacker]

Very cool. I'm hoping for some clear skys this weekend so we can travel to a darker area and do some star gazing and hopefully spot the comet

 

[Patchouli]

This is a good article and includes all meteor showers that can be seen throughout the year.
Quadrantid Meteor Shower 2022 | How to Watch Meteor Shower (popularmechanics.com)

 

[kd4ulw]

This is a bit different space distraction.

This is a picture that was sent by the International Space Station. I have an old scanner running that has the downlink frequency of the ISS (145.800 MHZ) programmed in and heard them sending down SSTV (slow scan television) images. It’s a series of modulated tones and I recorded one two minute audio transmission on my phone, downloaded a program on my PC that would decode it and then played it into the laptop mic and this is what it showed.
It is a little difficult to see so here is the information.
Women in space.
Peggy Whitson, PhD.
First woman ISS commander.

The band across the center of the picture is where the signal faded and received static for a few seconds.

 

[Bacpacker]

For those of you that have a good eastern view of the morning sky, there is quite an event taking place. 5 planets will line up. With April 24th being the best day.



I've already caught Venus, Mars, and Saturn several clear mornings recently. Jupiter has been a bit low for where I see them from.

 

[Peanut]

Q. I'm running Linux now. The other day I found and installed a program named "Stellarium". Still trying to figure out how to use it for my purposes. My problem is vocabulary, not knowing the terms used in astronomy and by the software for displaying certain objects.

I just need a quick reference for the night sky. No cattle to check these days but I still enjoy walking through our pastures at night, and do a little star gazing.

Anyone here use it? Any tips?

 

[Bacpacker]

I use Sky Map on my phone. I'll check out Stellarium.

 

[Patchouli]

I stumbled across a connection to a photographer who teaches ya how to photograph (successfully) the stars, milky way, etc. Some day, when I'm not too tired, I'll watch the videos she's made. This is her website, if not allowed, delete. The starry sky photographs you see are similar to what some of the students took this week and last, their first time doing so. Kristine Rose Photography

Also, I've misplaced my camera. Took a short photography class recently focusing on wildflowers, from a friend's husband. He's got a master's degree in photography so it was good to have some reminders of terminology used in photography and some pointers on how to get better photos.

 

[Pearl]

I use Sky Map on my phone. I'll check out Stellarium.

Stellarium is great.

 

[Pearl]

Stellarium is great.

Just click on what you want to see?!

 

[Bacpacker]

I stumbled across a connection to a photographer who teaches ya how to photograph (successfully) the stars, milky way, etc. Some day, when I'm not too tired, I'll watch the videos she's made. This is her website, if not allowed, delete. The starry sky photographs you see are similar to what some of the students took this week and last, their first time doing so. Kristine Rose Photography

Also, I've misplaced my camera. Took a short photography class recently focusing on wildflowers, from a friend's husband. He's got a master's degree in photography so it was good to have some reminders of terminology used in photography and some pointers on how to get better photos.

Ill check that out. I've always wanted to get a good shot of the milkyway

 

[kd4ulw]

On my iPhone I use an app called Planets. In 3D mode you can hold the phone up an see what you are seeing and there are more features available such as viewing times and info on the planets and moons.
On the second screenshot I’ve panned down and the ground has become opaque allowing me to see below the horizon. On the visibility screen the red line on the right side of the bars is the current time.