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| Image Courtesy NASA |
27 October 2011
Jupiter at Opposition -- closest approach for 2011
The Autumn evening sky is being dominated by one bright, shiny object: the planet Jupiter, which will be a highlight for several months in our skies. On October 28th, Jupiter reaches "opposition" in which it is in a line with the Earth and Sun (and no, that is not what has been causing the recent earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay Area!).
When Earth travels around in its orbit, approximately every 13 months we have a close encounter with Jupiter. When we do, the gas giant looks impressive with or without a telescope. Without a telescope, Jupiter is extremely bright, easily 50 times brighter than the brightest stars in the sky right now. It rises due East just after sunset, and remains visible the entire night. Through a small amateur telescope, Jupiter is a fine target, easy to locate and impressive with bands across its disk and the four Galilean moons shining brightly. Now is the time to get out a telescope or binoculars and share the brilliance of Jupiter with someone.
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2 comments:
Jupiter is a gorgeous site from the Forest Hill neighborhood in San Francisco. Last night we saw two moons in our binoculars. I couldn't stop staring!
That is really cool, Jessica. Tonight at the Cal Academy, visitors were treated to the view of Jupiter with 2 of its 4 bright moons disappearing: a transit of Io, and an eclipse of Ganymede took place during the evening. What a sight!
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