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Tonight Jupiter making closest approach in nearly 50 years

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Re: Tonight Jupiter making closest approach in nearly 50 years

#11

Post by JoeAltmaier »

cryptoz wrote: post #5
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #3

When I was a kid in the 70s, I could distinguish a moon of Jupiter as a separate blip with my naked eye.

Really? That seems unlikely. Very few people have ever made such a claim, though it does seem that it could be possible. http://www.denisdutton.com/jupiter_moons.htm

Yeah, I get lots of people saying that. All I can say is, I was there, I could see it, my brothers and sisters could see it.

We used a telescope to spot, then when the moon was at its furthest distance, with the naked eye, could see a separate blip.

Lived on a farm in Iowa, nobody for miles, no lights to mess things up.

Re: Tonight Jupiter making closest approach in nearly 50 years

#12

Post by auxbuss »

sgoel wrote: post #6

Checkout my Palo Alto viewing party using my company's event creation service: http://poig.com/pings/4c9798d0d4ac14411c00001f/ I'll be at Arastradero Preserve in the Palo Alto Hills tonight around 11PM with a telescope and some buddies. Exit off Page Mill from 280 and head west towards the hills. Take a RIGHT on Arastradero and drive up about a mile and take a right into the parking lot. WE WILL HAVE A LIMITED SUPPLY…

Here's a case where I want to look at what you've posted, and I can't because you want me to login via Facebook first.

Anyway, have a great time, and I hope the vis is terrific.

Re: Tonight Jupiter making closest approach in nearly 50 years

#13

Post by sgoel »

auxbuss wrote: post #12
sgoel wrote: post #6

Checkout my Palo Alto viewing party using my company's event creation service: http://poig.com/pings/4c9798d0d4ac14411c00001f/ I'll be at Arastradero Preserve in the Palo Alto Hills tonight around 11PM with a telescope and some buddies. Exit off Page Mill from 280 and head west towards the hills. Take a RIGHT on Arastradero and drive up about a mile and take a right into the parking lot. WE WILL HAVE A LIMITED SUPPLY…

Here's a case where I want to look at what you've posted, and I can't because you want me to login via Facebook first. Anyway, have a great time, and I hope the vis is terrific.

I know! I'm going to have to do some tinkering to make the links public

Re: Tonight Jupiter making closest approach in nearly 50 years

#14

Post by sgoel »

sgoel wrote: post #6

Checkout my Palo Alto viewing party using my company's event creation service: http://poig.com/pings/4c9798d0d4ac14411c00001f/ I'll be at Arastradero Preserve in the Palo Alto Hills tonight around 11PM with a telescope and some buddies. Exit off Page Mill from 280 and head west towards the hills. Take a RIGHT on Arastradero and drive up about a mile and take a right into the parking lot. WE WILL HAVE A LIMITED SUPPLY…

Here's the link to the google map:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&#38...

Re: Tonight Jupiter making closest approach in nearly 50 years

#16

Post by auxbuss »

cryptoz wrote: post #5
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #3

When I was a kid in the 70s, I could distinguish a moon of Jupiter as a separate blip with my naked eye.

Really? That seems unlikely. Very few people have ever made such a claim, though it does seem that it could be possible. http://www.denisdutton.com/jupiter_moons.htm

I was a keen astronomer as a kid, and later almost did my PhD in cosmology. So I know my way around the sky. Later I used to climb mountains. I was walking into the Himalya one time, in Nepal, sitting around drinking beers and observing the sky. It was the clearest sky I'd ever seen. There was so much stuff visible. So much, it made distinguishing the constellations harder than usual. Jupiter was in the sky that night and I have always told the story that it is the only time I've seen its moons with my naked eye.

I've never questioned that until now. But frankly that wasn't the most memorable part of the night, I didn't realise it was a rarity. If ever there was a time when you could use the word awesome that was it.

So, yup, I certainly believe it's possible. Just wish I had the eyes I had then.

Re: Tonight Jupiter making closest approach in nearly 50 years

#19

Post by jerf »

cryptoz wrote: post #5
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #3

When I was a kid in the 70s, I could distinguish a moon of Jupiter as a separate blip with my naked eye.

Really? That seems unlikely. Very few people have ever made such a claim, though it does seem that it could be possible. http://www.denisdutton.com/jupiter_moons.htm

That's worth a submission, cryptoz.

Re: Tonight Jupiter making closest approach in nearly 50 years

#20

Post by pvg »

These always seem a little overblown. Jupiter was very nearly as bright last year.

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=magnitude+of+jupiter+se...

-2.92

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=magnitude+of+jupiter+au...

-2.86

So the ratio in brightness is

2.512 ^ 0.06 = 1.0567

If wolfram alpha is to be believed, it's going to be just about as bright next year.

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=magnitude+of+jupiter+oc...

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