Look Up Tonight! See JUPITER!!

[guyver01]

By Jupiter! Planet to play starring role for New Year's Eve

After toasting the New Year, think about stepping outside and taking in what one local astronomer predicts will be Jupiter's brightest New Year's Eve appearance in 249 years.

Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, will be at its highest and brightest this year just in time for holiday revelry tonight and early Tuesday.

"If you miss it this New Year's Eve, you're going to have to be very, very young to see it again," said Miami Space Transit Planetarium Executive Director Jack Horkheimer, who predicts the next opportunity for such a good view of Jupiter on New Year's Eve will occur in 2084.

Most planets are directly opposite the sun, and therefore at their highest, closest and brightest, about once a year, depending on how near or far away they are. Jupiter is 390 million miles from Earth.

 

[bozo1]

live in city
too many lights
no stars

 

[conjur]

For the astronomically-challenged...uhh...in which part of the sky would I look (assuming Midwest U.S.)?

 

[guyver01]

<< For the astronomically-challenged...uhh...in which part of the sky would I look (assuming Midwest U.S.)? >>




uhm... up?

 

[conjur]

NW, SE, etc? Or will it be obvious due to the brightness?

 

[joe678]

<<

<< For the astronomically-challenged...uhh...in which part of the sky would I look (assuming Midwest U.S.)? >>




uhm... up? >>



haha...i would hope he's not that astronomically challenged...

 

[guyver01]

The technical?
Jupiter
Magnitude -2.7.
Disk reducing from 47.1" to 45.4".
Jupiter reaches opposition on January 1st and so is prominent in Gemini, dominating the evening skies as by far and a way the brightest star-like object in the night sky.


The planet, seen with the naked eye as a bright, steady white light in the sky, will share the night stage with a nearly full moon. Weather permitting, Jupiter and the moon will be the two brightest bodies in the evening sky.

Telescopes and binoculars aren't necessary to see Jupiter, said Suzanne Chippindale, education coordinator for the San Francisco-based Astronomical Society of the Pacific. But binoculars will help stargazers pick out the planet's four moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.

 

[mithrandir2001]

Don't worry if you miss this tonight. Unlike a meteor shower or comet encounter, planets don't change their appearance very quickly...maybe inner planets like Venus and Mercury do, but if you look at Jupiter a week from now, it won't look much different than it does tonight.

EDIT: BTW, Jupiter is always visible when it rises in the sky, just like the moon. It's a very big planet and does reflect a bit of light.

 

[CStroman]

I've seen saturn before, and it was to the south.

 

[bigdog1218]

planets outside of earths orbit follow the sun, and inside precede the sun, so to see jupiter look under the moon, i saw it a couple nights ago there was a full moon and about 15 degrees under it was jupiter, you can also see saturn but its not as obvious, but the rings look sweet with a telescope

edit: i meant sun instead of moon, venus and mercury rise before the sun, and saturn and jupiter and the others set after the sun, but jupiter is often found under the moon

 

[Fjive]

well...i see it almost every night...
and not forgetting the 4 moons of jupiter...nice and clear with my binoculars =)
with a magnitude of -2.7 .... u cant miss it !

 

[SWScorch]

its hard to miss which one will be Jupiter. It is so much brighter than any other star.

 

[Dolemite69]

<< I've seen saturn before, and it was to the south. >>




...don't you mean Uranus?

 

[ravanux]

so where was saturn again?

 

[bootymac]

i saw the moon

 

[kami]

You can't miss Jupiter...it's unusually bright. And close to it, a little bit dimmer (but also brighter than all other stars if you are in the city) is saturn.