Chris Bott - Moderator Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Just driving home I noticed that hardly a star could be seen which is unusual, but there just South of East, is a full moon. Up and left a bit is a very bright er.. star, but it's red, compared to stars. I'd heard that Mars is going to be visible in the next few days so came in to look it up. Yep - it is in the right place to be Mars and very easy to pick out. So, looking round, theres two others, star coloured this time, almost in the other durection, maybe directly West. Making the same diagonal as the Moon and Mars and looking about the same distance apart. A bit of research and it looks like these are Jupiter and Venus. Does anyone know for sure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Oh, I'm due to go out again in half an hour to pick up my duaghter - I shall have a shufty! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 just saw a puff of green gas come from the side of mars............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbycat Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Sat in the middle of London at work and can't see a thing from where I am. I think Jupiter and Venus have been visible for a while now. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Smith 1 Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Download the amazing www.stellarium.org and you can see for yourself. A great fun site. Geoff....stargazing dept Edited By Chris Bott - Moderator on 07/03/2012 21:53:27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Mars is at opposition in Leo just now, the two planets you observe are Jupiter and Venus. Venus reaches its greatest elongation on the 27 of March and the two planets you see are closer now than they will be until Venus occults Jupiter in 2065. (Jupiter is closer to the moon and Venus the brighter planet further out on the same diagonal) Cheers James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keiran Arnold Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Tony the chances of anything coming from Mars are 100 to 1 they say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 but still they come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bott - Moderator Posted March 7, 2012 Author Share Posted March 7, 2012 Ooh I can hear Jeff Waynes music behind Richard Burtons voice in my mind already, that takes me back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bott - Moderator Posted March 7, 2012 Author Share Posted March 7, 2012 Posted by Geoff Smith 1 on 07/03/2012 21:37:36: Download the amazing www.stellarium.org and you can see for yourself. A great fun site. Geoff....stargazing dept I hope it's good Geoff, it's a big download! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Hi Chris In the west upto about 21:00 you have very bright Venus., Just above and slighlt to the south, dimmer Jupiter. You have correctly identified Mars, due South at Midnight and Saturn is now rising in the East at 22:00ish. All wonderful through a modest telescope. Martyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Very clear and bright! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bott - Moderator Posted March 7, 2012 Author Share Posted March 7, 2012 Great thanks Martyn, so I did OK Wow Geoff that stellarium looks great. I can see where I should now look for Saturn straight away. Shame it's right through the houses opposite at the moment. I guess it will be higher in the sky later on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Bernard Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Mars has actually been around for a couple of weeks now - spotted it when the dog was taking me walkies! If you have an Android phone I recommend Google Sky Map - great little program. You simply hold your phone up to the bit of sky you are looking at and you see all the stars, planets and constellations labelled. It's sort of a Stellarium in your pocket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bowker Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 For anybody with an iPhone, I recommend the app 'Hidden Sky'. It's perfect for finding where the planets are in the night sky, as well as the ISS and satellites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Venus and Jupiter are very prominent in the western sky just after sunset and Jupiter looked very nice through my 6'' reflector yesterday evening. Four of its moons were clearly visible. Venus slightly lower and to the north is much brighter. Because of its magnitude of about -4 its very diffiicult to get a good view of it without a filter. If we finally get another clear night here in northern Germany I will try to get a look at Saturn and Mars. I may even get some flying in soon if the weather improves, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly P Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Chris, Have you seen the Jeff Wayne WotW Stage show? If not I can highly recommend it. 'The following morning I hurried to the railway station to buy the paper' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bott - Moderator Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 Hi Olly yes I've seen that it exists, but can't get any family interested whatsoever Edited By Chris Bott - Moderator on 08/03/2012 08:42:54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly P Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Go on your own! I've seen it twice, and if I had spare funds would be going when it comes back to Manchester later this year! Apparently Richard Burton has a much smaller part now, last couple of times he put on a great show for a man who's been dead for the last 30 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 The storm impacted at 11:00 am this morning according to my online magnetometer. Live Magnetogram Not the stongest I have witnessed. There should be no impact on any terrestrial communications above a few MHz (the flare will ionize the 'D' layer), it certainly wont affect VHF/SHF and Microwave frequencies. Space comms are a different matter as they are in or outside the magnetosphere (not below) which gives us a high level of protection. Certainly it will not affect R/C flying on any frequency - so don't blame it for your spurious crashes and glitches (as if you would).. However, auroras may well be visible (if the full moon drops behind a cloud) in more Northerly latitudes. Regards Martyn Edited By Martyn K on 08/03/2012 17:55:43 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamus O'Leprosy Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Posted by Martyn K on 08/03/2012 17:35:04: The storm impacted at 11:00 am this morning according to my online magnetometer. Live Magnetogram I was wondering what that was at 11 thank God I was wearing my tin foil hat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 That's a relief - I thought I was having a hot flush!! Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Ha ha, love it.. it just makes me moody and depressed...Martyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.