Hi all

What plans have people got for the event?  A good westerly view is a must, what locations around the Dublin area will suffice, does anyone know?  I am thinking a higher elevation, I don't think that Glencullen will work, there are hills to the west, maybe the same with the Sugarloaf.  You guys going down early on Friday can check that out.

Paul

Hi Paul, 

I'd love to join any of you wherever you end up. If you're looking for  a place that is elevated; on the Wicklow / Dublin border; and provides a western horizon here is one suggestion is:

www.google.com/maps/@53.1807721,-6.40409...!8i8192!9m2!1b1!2i48

Once you come up from Boharnabreena side it is a fairly easy to get to too. While it is a fairly narrow road, there are spots along the way where cars can be parked that could also provide a decent viewing point . I'm sure others will have better suggestions, but I thought I offer one.

Let's hope we get the weather for it!

Darren.

Here is a progress report from the last month or so, spaced about a week apart. Not all from the same location due to clouds, trees etc but you get the general idea. Last one is from tonight, just ¾ of a degree separation. First one has the ISS passing by. Think I can get it from here if skies permit, despite the Ballyhoura Hills, although Saturn is quite faint until around 5.30. The last time they were this close, in 1623, the viewing geometry was poor so we're really talking about 800 years since a Great Conjunction comparable to this one -



Finbarr.

Hello, all. 

I trust Michael Murphy to take us to the right location to see the Jupiter - Saturn conjunction. 
It appears there is going to be clear skies at the Sugarloaf on Friday evening. 

By the way, I can see the 2 biggest planets of the solar system for a few minutes right after sunset from my back garden. Although there is no way I can get my scope on them as expected. 

Clear skies to you all, 

Aubrey.  

Hear, hear! 

33 arcminutes separation...



Finbarr.

Hi Finbarr, 

I hope you're keeping well. That's a brilliant picture of Saturn and Jupiter so close to each other. Also, with the backdrop of all those lovely stars it makes the image all the more special. Very nice indeed. 

Clear skies, 

Darren. 

Thanks Darren. I agree, the presence of foreground objects and accompanying stars make all the difference in a conjunction shot like this. Helps to bring context and perspective to the scene. It's difficult though, what with neighbouring farm lights, obstructions, low cloud etc. Hope you find a suitable spot in Dublin from which to view the spectacle.

Finbarr.

Thanks a million Finbarr!

Of course, the foreground objects also add to shot. I must bear that in mind if I do take a photo of the conjunction. 

Clear skies to all, 

Darren. 

Some focusing issues tonight between the heavy showers, so had to make do with this widefield effort. 20 arcminutes separation.



Finbarr.

Wow! Stunning, Finbarr.
Great image from Limerick.
Thank you.
I can see parts of Capricornus above Jupiter and Saturn.
We hope to see these enormous planets during the next 3 or 4 nights.

Clear skies from Aubrey.

Very short window this evening before the cloud and rain moved in. Had to resort to the 300mm lens, less than half an hour after sunset. Separation 15 arcminutes -



Finbarr.

Another beautifully framed image of the conjunction Finbarr... You are creating quite the record of this marvellous event for us all to enjoy. 

Clear skies, 

Darren. 

Hazy skies down here but views on 5 of the last 7 nights can't be bad I suppose... still haven't managed to get the scope onto them since they wandered into the same fov though. The first image is a 24mm lens, 9 arcminutes separation. Then two with the 300m lens, the cropped one has Ganymede and Callisto. 794 years 292 days have passed since anyone saw this







Finbarr.

Hello, everyone.

I start out by giving Michael a massive thank you for getting us out to the Sugarloaf car park on a freezing cold +1 degree Celsius on a Sunday early evening to see the very grand Jupiter - Saturn conjunction on the 20th December 2020. There was a 20 km wind occurring. I had 6 layers of clothes on, but I was still shivering after half an hour. But never mind. I had 3 hot Blackcurrant drinks when I got home.

It was super to meet up with Michael, Christian, Darren and Ben for the Great Event!

My wife Valerie joined me as we drove out with little traffic. There was minimal hassle with late Christmas shoppers.

I set up my Williams Optics 158 mm f/7 apochromatic refractor on its Berlebach Planet altazimuth mount and its William Optics 70 mm f/6 attached. Mirror diagonals were fitted to both scopes.

Using Guide 9.1 DVD I have worked out today Monday that the 2 planets, edge to edge, were a mere 6 arc minutes apart on Sunday evening. Wow!

Through my main scope, at 112X, we could see Europa and Io, whose magnitudes were 5.9 and 6.1 respectively, very close to the western side of Jupiter. I could just about see the North Equatorial Belt in the shimmering conditions. I never saw the South Equatorial Belt at all. But the sky conditions were making Jupiter noticeably blurred. It was a great delight to see 5.5 mag Ganymede and 6.7 mag Callisto spaced apart. A 7.5 mag field star, which everyone is calling HD 191250 on Cloudy Nights, was east of Callisto. It was plain to see through the telescope. Saturn looked beautiful as ever with its rings. At no time could I see the Cassini Division or its largest moon Titan. But I don't mind that at all.

Besides how rare it is to see the Solar System's 2 largest planets separated by 6'! They haven't been this close since 1623 after all.

For the record: Jupiter's magnitude was -2.0. Saturn's mag was +0.6. Jupiter's distance was a little over 885,288,000 kms from Earth. Saturn was some 1,618,388,000 kms away. Jupiter's angular diameter was 33.3". Saturn's was 15.3".

As some of you know, I am a man of prayer. Therefore I do thank my heavenly Father for allowing me to see the very Great Jupiter - Saturn conjunction of 2020. Praise the Lord!

Let me finish by wishing you all here on www.isrishastronomy.org a very Happy and Safe Christmas for 2020, and of course clear skies before December 31st!!

Aubrey.

P.S, I do hope that corona virus vaccine is coming soon.

Excellent and very descriptive report of this historic event Aubrey. They will be almost as close tomorrow but forecast looks bad again, for the South anyway. At least most most of us got a view on Sunday within the magic 10 arcminute zone. Was watching some footage earlier of closest approach as seen from Spain, which seems to have been almost the only place in Europe with suitable conditions.

Clear(er) skies,
Finbarr.

Hi,
Great to see so many observers following the conjunction.

Here in Massachusetts Saturday & Sunday were cloudy. Monday (the day of closest separation) was looking no better, but then the sky miraculously cleared. (A real miracle Aubrey!).

It was a striking sight to the naked eye. Separation was just 6.2'. Also good in 12x36 IS binoculars.
I used my 50 mm refractor visually and the 70 mm refractor for imaging. No chance to get the observatory scope to see that low. Also did imaging with a normal lens.

Please see my website www.variablestarnights.net for images.

John

Fab images John. Just looking at the caption, I think it should read 6' rather than 0.6°. Well done on conjuring up those clear skies.

Finbarr.

JohnONeill wrote:

Hi,
"Great to see so many observers following the conjunction.

Here in Massachusetts Saturday & Sunday were cloudy. Monday (the day of closest separation) was looking no better, but then the sky miraculously cleared. (A real miracle Aubrey!).

It was a striking sight to the naked eye. Separation was just 6.2'. Also good in 12x36 IS binoculars.
I used my 50 mm refractor visually and the 70 mm refractor for imaging. No chance to get the observatory scope to see that low. Also did imaging with a normal lens.

Please see my website www.variablestarnights.net for images."

It's great to hear from you, John. Your images are truly splendid on your website of the Jupiter - Saturn conjunction. Thank you for letting us in on them. And you are always most welcome to record your future observations here on www.irishastronomy.org  

I should have also said in my report that we all could see the 2 planets with our own eyes from the Sugarloaf car park - even though we had a mischievous cloud trying its best to disturb our viewings.

And one last thing: it is going to be very interesting as to what our favourite observations for 2020 are going to be. Wha-hay!!

Aubrey.     

flt158 wrote:

Hello, everyone.

I start out by giving Michael a massive thank you for getting us out to the Sugarloaf car park on a freezing cold +1 degree Celsius on a Sunday early evening to see the very grand Jupiter - Saturn conjunction on the 20th December 2020. There was a 20 km wind occurring. I had 6 layers of clothes on, but I was still shivering after half an hour. But never mind. I had 3 hot Blackcurrant drinks when I got home.

It was super to meet up with Michael, Christian, Darren and Ben for the Great Event!

My wife Valerie joined me as we drove out with little traffic. There was minimal hassle with late Christmas shoppers.

I set up my Williams Optics 158 mm f/7 apochromatic refractor on its Berlebach Planet altazimuth mount and its William Optics 70 mm f/6 attached. Mirror diagonals were fitted to both scopes.

Using Guide 9.1 DVD I have worked out today Monday that the 2 planets, edge to edge, were a mere 6 arc minutes apart on Sunday evening. Wow!

Through my main scope, at 112X, we could see Europa and Io, whose magnitudes were 5.9 and 6.1 respectively, very close to the western side of Jupiter. I could just about see the North Equatorial Belt in the shimmering conditions. I never saw the South Equatorial Belt at all. But the sky conditions were making Jupiter noticeably blurred. It was a great delight to see 5.5 mag Ganymede and 6.7 mag Callisto spaced apart. A 7.5 mag field star, which everyone is calling HD 191250 on Cloudy Nights, was east of Callisto. It was plain to see through the telescope. Saturn looked beautiful as ever with its rings. At no time could I see the Cassini Division or its largest moon Titan. But I don't mind that at all.

Besides how rare it is to see the Solar System's 2 largest planets separated by 6'! They haven't been this close since 1623 after all.

For the record: Jupiter's magnitude was -2.0. Saturn's mag was +0.6. Jupiter's distance was a little over 885,288,000 kms from Earth. Saturn was some 1,618,388,000 kms away. Jupiter's angular diameter was 33.3". Saturn's was 15.3".

As some of you know, I am a man of prayer. Therefore I do thank my heavenly Father for allowing me to see the very Great Jupiter - Saturn conjunction of 2020. Praise the Lord!

Let me finish by wishing you all here on www.isrishastronomy.org a very Happy and Safe Christmas for 2020, and of course clear skies before December 31st!!

Aubrey.

P.S, I do hope that corona virus vaccine is coming soon.

Hello Aubrey, 

You've captured the conjunction wonderfully. Many thanks for naming the star that looked like 5th Jupiter Moon through the eyepiece. 

It was great to meet Valerie, and I hope the both of you have a nice Christmas. 

Happy Christmas and wishing you many a clear night for 2021.

Darren.