Utah Bob #35998 Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 I saw the much hyped “Christmas Star” last night. How anybody could call it the Star of Bethlehem is beyond me! If you are a decent photographer you can get it to look like it does in the great masters’ paintings of the Renaissance. But really, it was just two dots in the SW sky. Venus is brighter. I was able to see Saturn’s rings and two of Jupiter’s moons with my Meade telescope, so that was cool. I don’t think I’d be able to navigate my camel by it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 We saw it without aid of optical devices. It was interesting, but I was a bit underwhelmed after the star of Bethlehem media hype. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sun Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 21 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said: I saw the much hyped “Christmas Star” last night. How anybody could call it the Star of Bethlehem is beyond me! If you are a decent photographer you can get it to look like it does in the great masters’ paintings of the Renaissance. But really, it was just two dots in the SW sky. Venus is brighter. I was able to see Saturn’s rings and two of Jupiter’s moons with my Meade telescope, so that was cool. I don’t think I’d be able to navigate my camel by it. Probably just needs to be midnight at the Oasis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 I thought it was pretty impressive. With all the light pollution we have here in the Southern People's Republic it is very hard to see many stars. Jupiter and Saturn really stood out last evening. I definitely need to get some better glass for viewing stuff like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Sheridan Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 Well our heavy rain actually turned to snow last night so I was completely SOL. I wasn't expecting anything that would impress the naked eye but I still would've liked to have seen it. I guess now I have to wait another 800 years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 6 minutes ago, Sixgun Sheridan said: Well our heavy rain actually turned to snow last night so I was completely SOL. I wasn't expecting anything that would impress the naked eye but I still would've liked to have seen it. I guess now I have to wait another 800 years... We gotta wait that long, Sixgun? Snow here in Everett last evening also. And RAIN. Lawdy, we got a gully washer and I heard that a train down south of here derailed 4 cars with no injuries, due to a washed out culvert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Hangtree Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 We live out in the woods, so there's no light pollution to speak of interfering with viewing the stars. Most stars are very clear and bright if the cloud cover cooperates. But last night was a disappointment. The Saturn/Jupiter event proved from our vantage point to be no more than a slightly brighter star. If we hadn't known ahead of time exactly where to look, we would've probably missed it all together. I ain't sticking around another 800 years for that again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted December 22, 2020 Author Share Posted December 22, 2020 And pleeease don’t believe this fake pic that’s all over the Internet now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 1 hour ago, Utah Bob #35998 said: I saw the much hyped “Christmas Star” last night. How anybody could call it the Star of Bethlehem is beyond me! If you are a decent photographer you can get it to look like it does in the great masters’ paintings of the Renaissance. But really, it was just two dots in the SW sky. Venus is brighter. I was able to see Saturn’s rings and two of Jupiter’s moons with my Meade telescope, so that was cool. I don’t think I’d be able to navigate my camel by it. Here in Grand Junction, perfect viewing as far as cloud cover. Using the telescope could see Saturns rings clearly all the way around the planet but Jupiter was a fuzzy ball of light fairly close to it. Using a 400 mm lens, and both a 1.4x then a 2x teleconverter got some pictures of indistinct balls that may make the next episode of "are the aliens out there?" Regards Gateway Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted December 22, 2020 Author Share Posted December 22, 2020 7 minutes ago, Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life said: Here in Grand Junction, perfect viewing as far as cloud cover. Using the telescope could see Saturns rings clearly all the way around the planet but Jupiter was a fuzzy ball of light fairly close to it. Using a 400 mm lens, and both a 1.4x then a 2x teleconverter got some pictures of indistinct balls that may make the next episode of "are the aliens out there?" Regards Gateway Kid Yeah. And I heard no Heavenly Chorus either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted December 22, 2020 Author Share Posted December 22, 2020 Nice shot from down in Florida. Probably looked cooler from the ISS. I wonder if they pointed the Hubble at it? DE5C5E81-C5EF-4393-9FFE-B864DF58C7B0.webp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 Got to see it here in NE Texas. Wish I could have taken a picture of the view through my telescope but I don't have that kind of equipment yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 I am looking forward to this view of our solar system... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Sheridan Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 6 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: I am looking forward to this view of our solar system... That'll be the day when a galactic-sized pool cue comes sailing into the picture! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 I know that the last conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn occurred in the 1200's. But can they trace it further back than that? The Christmas Star has been speculated as either being the conjunction of several planets, a comet or possibly a supernova. The problem with this conjunction being part of or completely the Christmas Star is that the two planets don't maintain their positions very long as we are looking at two moving objects millions of miles apart, plus the orbital motion of the Earth inside both their orbits. I saw it last night. Not very spectacular, I'm afraid. Stay well and safe, Pards! Merry Christmas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulp, SASS#28319 Posted December 23, 2020 Share Posted December 23, 2020 Photo I took last night. As you can see it’s not much brighter than some of the other stuff out there. It was never advertised as something spectacular, just rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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