• Security incident: ISF was recently accessed by intruders. Please change your password, and change it anywhere else you used it. Read more

The Astronomy Thread.

It's taken me 40+ years until I got this plate. We had a limit of six characters when I first checked into it.
Actually it refers to one of my favorite comic book characters, but it also fits with the car logo (and my interests)!

625181046_10229659775990232_8814637073958204082_n.jpg
 
Last edited:
Total newb to the discussion with a question: in the constellation Taurus right now, there's a very bright body that I can't figure out what it is (viewed from the northern hemisphere in early spring but was in the same place all winter, usually viewed around 10-11PM EST). It's a super bright 'star' just to the south and west of zenith, which made me wonder because the Dogstar is close by, and it's way brighter than Sirius which is the brightest star. So I assume a planet? It's not Venus, which appears much lower and earlier in the sky. Google assured me that it is Jupiter, then equally assured me that Jupiter is currently in Gemini right now, which is below our horizon. Anyone know what I am seeing?

Eta: for reference as to my perspective point, Leo is touch SE of zenith, and Casseopia low in the nnw sky in the evening.
 
Last edited:
I am sure you are seeing Jupiter, although Jupiter is definitely in Gemini. Taurus is the neighbouring constellation, so you could be confused, especially if you think that the Dog Star Sirius is close by, because Orion is between Sirius (in Canis Major), and Taurus.
 
steenkh said:
I am sure you are seeing Jupiter, although Jupiter is definitely in Gemini. Taurus is the neighbouring constellation, so you could be confused, especially if you think that the Dog Star Sirius is close by, because Orion is between Sirius (in Canis Major), and Taurus.
Click to expand...
{Eta: I meant Sirius is in the same viewing field, not actually close by. Facing south, I can see the Big Dog and Orion low in the sky, and a short glance up to seeing what is apparently Jupiter. Which is actually what got me started on this- i was taking in Sirius' brightness, and saw Jupiter, that i didnt recognize, outshining it dramatically in the same firld of view}

I've only recently started looking up again after many years, so I might be off in my internal map. Sirius is easy to see in my southern sky, with Orions belt pointing right at it. To the right of Orion and a little above while facing south, I'm seeing two stars that I believe are the ones beyond the tight V that is Taurus' trademark head? The bright body is just below them. It shouldn't be Gemini, as the twins aren't up in our winter, and this is near zenith? But it has that creamy color I associate with Jupiter. Because of the local ambient light, I can't see very well and a lot of the constellations are dim or partial.
 
Last edited:
Maybe I'm way off. Castor and Pollux are apparently the two distinctive stars I am looking at, which I thought were part of Taurus but are the heads of the twins. Damn Google is giving me contradictory information about what i should be seeing and I just don't remember all that well.

Eta: I guess I thought Taurus was higher in the sky than I recalled (very washed out viewing lately) and it is in fact Jupiter in Gemini.
 
Last edited:
Thermal said:
Eta: I guess I thought Taurus was higher in the sky than I recalled (very washed out viewing lately) and it is in fact Jupiter in Gemini.
Click to expand...

I'd say that's right.

It's good to use Sirius as a guide, because Venus and Jupiter are the only "stars" with greater magnitude than Sirius, and significantly enough that you'd see the difference immediately.

Since you know it's Jupiter, I highly recommend getting even a decent pair of binoculars. You should be able to see the four Galilean Moons around it.
 
Thermal said:
Because of the local ambient light, I can't see very well and a lot of the constellations are dim or partial.
Click to expand...
Where I live, I can hardly see stars at all. Jupiter is sort of my reference: I find Castor and Pollux with it, and below that Procyon, and further down Sirius. Orion is difficult despite the bright stars, because it is closer to the street lights (Sirius is bright enough to be seen rather close to street lights). But because of Jupiter I know where to find Sirius and Taurus. If I'm lucky I can see the Pleiades too further to the right.
After a spell of overcast, I might need to recalibrate my bearings because Jupiter moves.
 
The Atheist said:
Since you know it's Jupiter, I highly recommend getting even a decent pair of binoculars. You should be able to see the four Galilean Moons around it.
Click to expand...
I have often viewed Sirius with what I believe is a pair of very good binoculars (8 or 10x), but I have never seen any moons, not even with a stabilised pair of binoculars. But they are clearly visible in my bird 'scope with 15-30x magnification.
 
I presume you meant Jupiter.

I'm scratching my head on why you aren't seeing the moons, I don't have an expensive pair and I can see them, but i haven't for years because I do have a 450mm telescope.
 
The Atheist said:
I'd say that's right.

It's good to use Sirius as a guide, because Venus and Jupiter are the only "stars" with greater magnitude than Sirius, and significantly enough that you'd see the difference immediately.
Click to expand...
The dog is only visible part of the year here. I'm usually orienting of the big Dipper, Cass and Polaris. Been trying to get a view of Algol winking but visibility has not been good.
The Atheist said:
Since you know it's Jupiter, I highly recommend getting even a decent pair of binoculars. You should be able to see the four Galilean Moons around it.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I need to find mine, they are around somewhere. Got into this a lot as a kid and only now staggering back into it.
 
steenkh said:
Where I live, I can hardly see stars at all. Jupiter is sort of my reference: I find Castor and Pollux with it, and below that Procyon, and further down Sirius. Orion is difficult despite the bright stars, because it is closer to the street lights (Sirius is bright enough to be seen rather close to street lights). But because of Jupiter I know where to find Sirius and Taurus. If I'm lucky I can see the Pleiades too further to the right.
After a spell of overcast, I might need to recalibrate my bearings because Jupiter moves.
Click to expand...
We get a stellar view of Orion in the winter, because he rises over the ocean here (no background light to screw up viewing). You can see Beetlejuice glowing orange with the naked eye.
 
Thermal said:
The dog is only visible part of the year here. I'm usually orienting of the big Dipper, Cass and Polaris. Been trying to get a view of Algol winking but visibility has not been good.

Yeah, I need to find mine, they are around somewhere. Got into this a lot as a kid and only now staggering back into it.
Click to expand...

Good!

Thermal said:
We get a stellar view of Orion in the winter, because he rises over the ocean here (no background light to screw up viewing). You can see Beetlejuice glowing orange with the naked eye.
Click to expand...

I'm placing my trust in you on two things there:

1, the pun
2, to not say it 3 times
 
Just realized why Jupiter looked so foreign in its location- is only there once every 12 years, and apparently I never saw it there or near there when I used to try to map the stars out (pre internet).The ◊◊◊◊ you forget about when busy making a living.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

ISF - Join now!

Every member here is approved by hand. No bots, no spam, just people who care about evidence and honest debate.

Membership is free!

Create your free account

Back
Top Bottom