Photo of Jupiter taken by Cassini-Huygens spacecraft. Dark spot on Jupiter is the shadow cast by Jupiter's moon Europa, which is just a touch smaller in size than Earth's moon. Image via NASA.
Comet Lovejoy closest to Earth – and brightest – around January 7
Tonight – January 7, 2015 – as seen from around the world, the waxing gibbous moon will shine close to the giant planet Jupiter. Watch these two bright beauties climb over the eastern horizon a few to several hours after sunset! You can’t miss them. After Venus sets in the west, Jupiter is the brightest starlike object up there. Once the moon and Jupiter rise, they’ll be out for rest of the night.
Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion, follows the moon and Jupiter into the sky by mid-evening, and chases the moon and Jupiter westward throughout the night. So if you’re up early tomorrow (January 8), look for the threesome before dawn.
Jupiter looks starlike to the eye, and the moon looks bigger than Jupiter. But, of course, Jupiter is much larger than the moon and only appears starlike to our eyes because it is so much farther away – about 1,700 times farther away than tonight’s moon. The moon lies about 1.35 light-seconds from Earth at present. In stark contrast, Jupiter looms about 37 light-minutes away.
Not too late. Order your 2015 EarthSky Lunar Calendar today!
If you’re up and about during the early morning hours, look westward for the moon, Jupiter and the star Regulus.
If the giant planet Jupiter were at the same distance from us as our moon, it’d take about 40 moons lined up side by side to equal the diameter of Jupiter. More amazing, perhaps, Jupiter’s disk would exceed the lunar disk by some 1,600 times.
It’s with good reason that Jupiter enjoys the king planet status. Watch the moon and Jupiter shine together from early-to-mid evening until dawn!
By the way, if you’re interested, look back at our January 6 post to know why the moon and Jupiter are pairing up more closely tonight than they were last night.
Bottom line: Let the moon be your guide to Jupiter, the fifth planet outward from the sun and the king of the planets, on the night of January 7, 2015!
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1xzN9pP
Photo of Jupiter taken by Cassini-Huygens spacecraft. Dark spot on Jupiter is the shadow cast by Jupiter's moon Europa, which is just a touch smaller in size than Earth's moon. Image via NASA.
Comet Lovejoy closest to Earth – and brightest – around January 7
Tonight – January 7, 2015 – as seen from around the world, the waxing gibbous moon will shine close to the giant planet Jupiter. Watch these two bright beauties climb over the eastern horizon a few to several hours after sunset! You can’t miss them. After Venus sets in the west, Jupiter is the brightest starlike object up there. Once the moon and Jupiter rise, they’ll be out for rest of the night.
Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion, follows the moon and Jupiter into the sky by mid-evening, and chases the moon and Jupiter westward throughout the night. So if you’re up early tomorrow (January 8), look for the threesome before dawn.
Jupiter looks starlike to the eye, and the moon looks bigger than Jupiter. But, of course, Jupiter is much larger than the moon and only appears starlike to our eyes because it is so much farther away – about 1,700 times farther away than tonight’s moon. The moon lies about 1.35 light-seconds from Earth at present. In stark contrast, Jupiter looms about 37 light-minutes away.
Not too late. Order your 2015 EarthSky Lunar Calendar today!
If you’re up and about during the early morning hours, look westward for the moon, Jupiter and the star Regulus.
If the giant planet Jupiter were at the same distance from us as our moon, it’d take about 40 moons lined up side by side to equal the diameter of Jupiter. More amazing, perhaps, Jupiter’s disk would exceed the lunar disk by some 1,600 times.
It’s with good reason that Jupiter enjoys the king planet status. Watch the moon and Jupiter shine together from early-to-mid evening until dawn!
By the way, if you’re interested, look back at our January 6 post to know why the moon and Jupiter are pairing up more closely tonight than they were last night.
Bottom line: Let the moon be your guide to Jupiter, the fifth planet outward from the sun and the king of the planets, on the night of January 7, 2015!
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1xzN9pP
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