Moon Jupiter Conjunction Sept 29th 2009 (click for larger image)
Lovely close conjunction (appulse, for some) of the Moon and planet Jupiter tonight.
The Moon appears to be about half a degree in diameter to us on Earth, so tonight, Jupiter is about half degree from the Moon.
I have just captured the image on the right from the UK, with my Canon dSLR camera, using its 18-55 mm standard lens.
If you are in the United States for example, this view of the Moon and Jupiter conjunction is coming towards you NOW!
So I suggest you get outside tonight, and take a look!
It’s rare to be able to see the Solar System’s giant planet Jupiter, so close to our Moon.
You’ll also notice the waxing gibbous Moon (as it’s called). This means it’s getting close to full.. the full “Harvest Moon” will be seen on Sunday October 4th.
So, best of luck.
Post a comment here, if you also manage to observe this wonderful spectacle tonight.
I’ve been outside just now, trying to sneak an image of Jupiter and its moons, in between the clouds and general haze here in South-East England tonight. (Isn’t it often this way? Two hours earlier, the sky was sparklingly clear!)
Anyway.. what I’ve realised is I need more focal length on the telescope, for the imaging of planets.
I put my old 6 inch Newtonian reflector onto the EQ6 mount, then added the Canon dSLR camera.
Ancient 6 inch Newtonian reflector, plus EQ6 telescope mount
It produced this image below, nicely showing three moons of Jupiter.. but no detail on the planet. The clouds must take a lot of the blame, but I see also, I need more focal length.
Jupiter And Moons (Io, Ganymede, Callisto)
The DSLR Canon camera is working at prime focus – using the telescope as its lens and nothing else.. (no eyepiece, or barlow lens etc).
Consequently, to get more magnification and fill the image field of view with the planet, I need a telescope with a longer focal length. My 6 inch (150 mm) reflector has a focal length of only about 700 mm.
(And as a PS. . what would Galileo have given for an image of Jupiter and its moons, like this?)
So, any suggestions for a good telescope to observe the planets?
Uranus was unknown before 1781 when William Herschel discovered it using a telescope. It was therefore the first planet to be discovered by modern astronomy.
Prior to this and going back to ancient times, only the five planets which can be seen with the unaided eye (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) were known. read on..
