[Au_Hunter]

Calling all star gazers, amature Astronomers and those who may be out and about tonight and may enjoy a special treat in the western skies tonight.

Robert Roy Britt
Editorial Director
SPACE.com robert Roy Britt
editorial Director
space.com – Tue Dec 30, 11:47 am ETA delightful display of planets and the moon will occur on New Year's Eve for anyone wishing to step outside and look up just after sunset.


Venus, brighter than all other planets and stars, will dangle just below the thin crescent moon in the southwestern sky. It'll be visible -- impossible to miss, in fact -- just as the sun goes down, assuming skies are cloud-free.


Soon thereafter, Mercury and Jupiter will show up hugging the south-southwestern horizon (just above where the sun went down) and extremely close to each other. Jupiter is very bright and easy to spot; Mercury is faint and harder to see, but it'll be apparent by its location just to the left of Jupiter.

Source, Celestial Show Set for New Year's Eve

Here is the most interesting aspect...

"One last trick:


Venus is so bright you can see it during daylight if you know where to look. Given Venus' proximity to the moon on New Year's Eve, this would be an excellent moment -- just before sunset -- to use the moon to help you find Venus and gain bragging rights for being one of the few people to be able to claim seeing more than one planet during the daytime (Earth being the other one).


I unfortunatly do have a hill to my west, but I hope to see two planets at the same time and if possible, will also have my telescope out for viewing the skies.

One last note, Weather Underground has an Interactive Star Chart at the bottom of their home page. You can customize the available view to your zip code and map the skies over you and see when any planet will set.

You can reduce or add information.

Oh and even more info here... Space.com

[OakSmokeMJA]

Wow Au, thanks for the great 'heads up'. :slaugh:

I saw Venus last night in a break from our fog right by the moon and It is bright!

What a great way to wish everyone happy new year!

Happy new year to you AuHunter!
:partysmile::partysmile:
:partysmile::partysmile:

[Au_Hunter]

Originally Posted by OakSmokeMJA

Wow Au, thanks for the great 'heads up'. :slaugh:

I saw Venus last night in a break from our fog right by the moon and It is bright!

What a great way to wish everyone happy new year!

Happy new year to you AuHunter!

My pleasure

Thank you and Happy New Year to you and yours too.

Yes, I have been looking nightly and have enjoyed clear skies here, but my view is twilight at best so tonight, being able to see Venus with the naked eye and prior to dark will be special.

I've witnessed the rings of Saturn once but timing is everything.

[OakSmokeMJA]

Originally Posted by Au_Hunter

My pleasure

Thank you and Happy New Year to you and yours too.

Yes, I have been looking nightly and have enjoyed clear skies here, but my view is twilight at best so tonight, being able to see Venus with the naked eye and prior to dark will be special.

I've witnessed the rings of Saturn once but timing is everything.

I would love to see Saturn's rings too, from my understanding though, right now the rings are on a perpendicular plane in relation to earth (probably hard to see).

My buddy has a telescope, and they are hard to use! especially on some OG.

[Au_Hunter]

Originally Posted by OakSmokeMJA

I would love to see Saturn's rings too, from my understanding though, right now the rings are on a perpendicular plane in relation to earth (probably hard to see).

My buddy has a telescope, and they are hard to use! especially on some OG.

Yes and as an amature I don't know about Saturn right now, but Venus is visable...

I just took the Mrs. out to show her that she could see Venus before dark. I can actually see it from my office window with a little effort.

[koudekirk]

Way cool!
I used to have a telescope, but couldn't figure it out. Gave it away. I so wanted to enjoy it, but that never happened.

Anyway, enjoy!!

[BabyBoomer]

Thanks Au,

It is beautiful.

Happy New Years to you, the misses and to Chance.

[Organo]

venus has been visible for a little while now. brightest thing in the sky, after the moon of course. my friend was convinced it was a plane lol. jupiter and mercury are also visible in close proximity (or so it looks ftom earth) in the southwestern horizon. also, the quadrantid meteor shower is scheduled to peak early sat. morning a few hours before dawn. the moon will have already set (11 pm) so it should be a good one! just got to get away from the ambient light of the city and pray for no clouds.

[Au_Hunter]

Originally Posted by koudekirk

Way cool!
I used to have a telescope, but couldn't figure it out. Gave it away. I so wanted to enjoy it, but that never happened.

Anyway, enjoy!!

As mine was a gift I did some reading and some practice then found Weather Underground and their sky map which gave me the direction, time and elevation to narrow down the sky.

It does require some luck and a good compass in this amatures opinion but this side of Simi Valley isn't as night bright as some areas and just north of the valley, but I hope to take mine on a trip/vacation some summer.

Originally Posted by Organo

venus has been visible for a little while now. brightest thing in the sky, after the moon of course. my friend was convinced it was a plane lol. jupiter and mercury are also visible in close proximity (or so it looks ftom earth) in the southwestern horizon. also, the quadrantid meteor shower is scheduled to peak early sat. morning a few hours before dawn. the moon will have already set (11 pm) so it should be a good one! just got to get away from the ambient light of the city and pray for no clouds.

Thanks Organo

Yes, the "other issue" with star gazing.

Late nights and winter cold.

Too much arthritis for too much cold.

[Organo]

Originally Posted by Au_Hunter

As mine was a gift I did some reading and some practice then found Weather Underground and their sky map which gave me the direction, time and elevation to narrow down the sky.

It does require some luck and a good compass in this amatures opinion but this side of Simi Valley isn't as night bright as some areas and just north of the valley, but I hope to take mine on a trip/vacation some summer.




Thanks Organo

Yes, the "other issue" with star gazing.

Late nights and winter cold.

Too much arthritis for too much cold.

no problem!
well, so much for no clouds. this was to be one of the best meteor showers of 2009 too. oh well....