Solar X-rays: Geomagnetic Field: |
Current Moon Phase |
Geminid meteors will appear to diverge from an area of the sky near the bright star Castor. Look away from the full moon to catch some of the brightest Geminids. Map created by Gary A. Becker using The Sky software... |
Note: This article was adapted from an essay, "Breathing the Future and the Past," written by the American astronomer, Harlow Shapley (1885-1972).
East Coast twilights don’t get much better than this, except when they are graced with the added beauty of elusive Mercury (lowest), Jupiter, and the earthshine-drenched crescent moon. A 13 second equatorially driven photo was taken with a Canon 40D camera coupled to a 70-200mm, Canon zoom lens (EFL 112mm) and imaged at F/4.0, ASA 400. The horizon of another 15 second photo, where the drive was shut down was then merged with the original image to produce the finished composition. A Borg-Hutech light suppression filter was used to dampen any unwanted skylight. Image by Gary A. Becker on December 29 near Coopersburg, PA... |
The constellation of Capricornus is playing host to the lineup of Venus, the moon, Jupiter (just below the clouds) and Mercury (below Jupiter in the trees). This picture remains somewhat of a mystery to me with the bright horizon and the very dark sky above the band of clouds. An equatorially mounted Canon 40D camera was mated with a 24-120mm Nikkor zoom lens and exposed at an EFL of 43mm for 20 seconds at ASA 400 to produce the image. A Borg-Hutech filter was used to dampen light pollution. Photography by Gary A. Becker December 30 near Coopersburg, PA... |
The moon, Mercury, and Jupiter will be in conjunction on December 28 and 29. Make sure you have an unobscured SW horizon and that you are at your observing location no later than 30 minutes after sundown. Map created by Gary A. Becker using The Sky software superimposed with an original wooded horizon... |
On New Year's Eve the moon and Venus were in conjunction much more spectacular to see with the unaided eye than any photograph could capture. At the same time near the horizon, Jupiter and Mercury hung tight, about one degree apart, in a cloud bank. The temperature was only 22 degrees F., but it was the wind, gusting to 30mph which made conditions unbearable. Photography by Gary A. Becker near Coopersburg, PA... |
Look Ma, we've switched places... Jupiter is now below Mercury in this 13 second equatorially driven photo taken on New Year's Day. Note Ganymede and Callisto, two of Jupiter's four Galilean satellites, which appear as a faint star just above and to the left of Jupiter. The photo was imaged with a Canon 40D camera coupled to a 70-200mm, Canon zoom lens (EFL 216mm) and imaged at F/4.0, ASA 400. The horizon of another 13 second photo, where the drive was shut down, was then merged with the original image to produce the finished product. A Borg-Hutech light suppression filter was used to dampen any unwanted skylight. Image by Gary A. Becker near Coopersburg, PA... |
On New Year's Eve the moon and Venus are close while Jupiter and Mercury join foces low in the SW. Uranus and Neptune are not visible to the unaided eye. Observe 30 minutes after sundown. Map created by Gary A. Becker using The Sky software... |