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The planets have been looking rather spectacular the last week or two leading up to the "parade". I guess the only downer is that Saturn is edge on to us at the moment so if you look at it through a telescope you don't really see the rings, just a thin line.
The 5 innermost planets are visible with the naked eye this month and Uranus and Neptune are visible with binoculars. Quite a sight to be able to see all of them. Neptune is close to Venus at the moment but towards March it moves into the twilight and will be hard to spot.
As is customary on these space threads I'm going to post up one of my latest images, IC434 - The Horsehead Nebula, taken at the start of January. Unfortunately clear skies are hard to come by nowadays.
Click on the image for a larger version if required.
SB
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Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 20:20 - Feb 5 with 2165 views
For those interested, here is how the planets will look on the 25th February 2025.
You need to wait until the 25th if you want to see them all as that is when Mercury rises above the horizon.
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye (although you might want a dark location for Mercury) and Uranus and Neptune will be visible with binoculars or a small telescope.
SB
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Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 12:05 - Feb 7 with 1788 views
Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 11:20 - Feb 7 by StokieBlue
For those interested, here is how the planets will look on the 25th February 2025.
You need to wait until the 25th if you want to see them all as that is when Mercury rises above the horizon.
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye (although you might want a dark location for Mercury) and Uranus and Neptune will be visible with binoculars or a small telescope.
SB
I'm in New Zealand at the moment and it is weird to have a sky so full of unfamiliar constellations. Although obviously some show up in both hemispheres across the year. But then, like Orion at the moment, they look upside down to me!
Loads of places with exceptionally low levels of light pollution. We went to one Dark Sky Reserve Area and both Megellanic Clouds were very clearly visible to the naked eye, exactly where my phone app told me they would be.
I saw a very vivid streak of a shooting star, too.
Thanks for getting me more interested in all things astronomical!
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Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 12:08 - Feb 7 with 1779 views
Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 20:17 - Feb 5 by StokieBlue
The planets have been looking rather spectacular the last week or two leading up to the "parade". I guess the only downer is that Saturn is edge on to us at the moment so if you look at it through a telescope you don't really see the rings, just a thin line.
The 5 innermost planets are visible with the naked eye this month and Uranus and Neptune are visible with binoculars. Quite a sight to be able to see all of them. Neptune is close to Venus at the moment but towards March it moves into the twilight and will be hard to spot.
As is customary on these space threads I'm going to post up one of my latest images, IC434 - The Horsehead Nebula, taken at the start of January. Unfortunately clear skies are hard to come by nowadays.
Click on the image for a larger version if required.
SB
That is an absolutely superb photo!
You must be so chuffed with that!
Why is it called the Horsehead Nebula? I mean I can see the Black Horses Head on the right, like a little Knight chess piece, but it's tiny compared to the scary Demon Dragon opening it's mouth and staring with a white beady eye on the left of the picture!
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Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 12:36 - Feb 7 with 1743 views
I was told by a architect 10-15 years ago that the small round windows found in some large protestant houses in Ireland were called Venus windows. And were positioned in order to observe Venus (possibly in the morning).
No idea if this is true but always thought it was quite intriguing
Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 12:05 - Feb 7 by ArnoldMoorhen
I'm in New Zealand at the moment and it is weird to have a sky so full of unfamiliar constellations. Although obviously some show up in both hemispheres across the year. But then, like Orion at the moment, they look upside down to me!
Loads of places with exceptionally low levels of light pollution. We went to one Dark Sky Reserve Area and both Megellanic Clouds were very clearly visible to the naked eye, exactly where my phone app told me they would be.
I saw a very vivid streak of a shooting star, too.
Thanks for getting me more interested in all things astronomical!
The southern hemisphere is a joy for stargazing, hopefully I'll get a chance at some point. If the skies are dark enough you should see both the Magellanic clouds and the Carina Nebula with the naked eye. The Carina nebula is the largest nebula close to the Earth but can only be see below or near the equator.
SB
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Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 13:06 - Feb 7 with 1696 views
Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 12:08 - Feb 7 by ArnoldMoorhen
That is an absolutely superb photo!
You must be so chuffed with that!
Why is it called the Horsehead Nebula? I mean I can see the Black Horses Head on the right, like a little Knight chess piece, but it's tiny compared to the scary Demon Dragon opening it's mouth and staring with a white beady eye on the left of the picture!
Many thanks, I was quite pleased with it.
There are actually two nebulae in that photo along with quite a bit of interstellar gas (mostly hydrogen).
IC434 is the Horsehead nebula which is the "chess piece" you've highlighted in the middle. The nebula you've named the "Demon Dragon" is actually called the Flame nebula and it's designation is NGC 2024.
These are both in Orion, along with the famous Orion nebula which can sometimes be seen with the naked eye.
The star you can see just above the Flame nebula and to the left of the Horsehead is Alnitak in Orions belt:
SB
0
Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 13:15 - Feb 7 with 1683 views
Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 13:00 - Feb 7 by StokieBlue
The southern hemisphere is a joy for stargazing, hopefully I'll get a chance at some point. If the skies are dark enough you should see both the Magellanic clouds and the Carina Nebula with the naked eye. The Carina nebula is the largest nebula close to the Earth but can only be see below or near the equator.
SB
Well when they say you can see it with the naked eye, it just means, well obviously you can see it, but it looks just like a slightly bigger fuzzier star. You don't go oh wow that's the magellanic clouds, you go oh what's the fuzzy patch of light there that doesn't look like the other stars.
Southern Cross is worth looking for simply because we don't get to see it in Northern hemispheres
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Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 21:47 - Feb 23 with 1237 views
Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 21:47 - Feb 23 by StokieBlue
Just a reminder for those that are interested that this is on Tuesday night and the weather is looking decently clear that evening.
SB
Can you remind us what we're looking at tonight Stokie? Whilst not a dyed in the wool stargazer, I am interested in the night sky. I've enjoyed seeing Jupiter, Mars and Venus over the last few weeks. I don't have the equipment to see Uranus (pun intended) or Neptune, so what should we be looking out for tonight?
Distortion becomes somehow pure in its wildness.
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Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 10:35 - Feb 25 with 1002 views
Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 13:00 - Feb 7 by StokieBlue
The southern hemisphere is a joy for stargazing, hopefully I'll get a chance at some point. If the skies are dark enough you should see both the Magellanic clouds and the Carina Nebula with the naked eye. The Carina nebula is the largest nebula close to the Earth but can only be see below or near the equator.
SB
But isn't the world flat??
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Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 13:56 - Feb 25 with 954 views
Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 10:24 - Feb 25 by Whos_blue
Can you remind us what we're looking at tonight Stokie? Whilst not a dyed in the wool stargazer, I am interested in the night sky. I've enjoyed seeing Jupiter, Mars and Venus over the last few weeks. I don't have the equipment to see Uranus (pun intended) or Neptune, so what should we be looking out for tonight?
That's a good overview. Jupiter, Venus and Mars will be bright and easy to spot. For help with the location you might want to download something like Skyview Free which will help you find them with an augmented reality overlay.
If you can get somewhere dark you might see Mercury abs Saturn will be visible but is setting very early.
Even a low powered set is binoculars should show you the 4 Galilean moons of Jupiter.
Clear skies.
SB
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Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 17:42 - Feb 25 with 892 views
Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 20:55 - Feb 27 by Ryorry
Despite pretty clear skies just after 6pm, only thin cloud, couldn’t see anything except Venus :(. (with naked eye).
couldnt see owt tonight too much cloud.
just bear in mind youre looking across alot of the sky though, alot of the graphics the media are using might make you think there all lurking in this nice line all in the same spot in the sky, more like a conjunction of planets.
when really its more like so if you spot Venus and face in the direction of the sunset,Mercury and Saturn are right down on the horizon underneath it, Neptune is there too but its not really visible unless your in the wilds, but then Mars is basically behind you and over your left shoulder at this point, its the orange looking thing up there, Jupiter is then kind of straight up, and Uranus is kind of between that and Venus, so its all in an arc across the sky
oh and the Earth is the one your standing on so look down at some point too :D
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Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 00:17 - Feb 28 with 644 views
Venus (not in Blue Jeans, sorry) on 22:44 - Feb 27 by stonojnr
couldnt see owt tonight too much cloud.
just bear in mind youre looking across alot of the sky though, alot of the graphics the media are using might make you think there all lurking in this nice line all in the same spot in the sky, more like a conjunction of planets.
when really its more like so if you spot Venus and face in the direction of the sunset,Mercury and Saturn are right down on the horizon underneath it, Neptune is there too but its not really visible unless your in the wilds, but then Mars is basically behind you and over your left shoulder at this point, its the orange looking thing up there, Jupiter is then kind of straight up, and Uranus is kind of between that and Venus, so its all in an arc across the sky
oh and the Earth is the one your standing on so look down at some point too :D
Actually pretty useful, ta :)
Am in the wilds, but didn't realise M&S were down on the horizon underneath V!
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