2018-Jan 6 - R. Stankiewicz - Jupiter - Mars Conjunction

Beautiful Morning Conjunction!

It was worth the effort getting all bundled up at 6:00 a.m. today to try and capture this close
conjunction of Jupiter and Mars high in the southern sky. Mind you, at -28C it was very difficult to
keep my fingers warm enough to function with the camera controls at this temperature, especially
with the wind that with the windchill felt like -36C!

The shot shows Jupiter and Mars about 1/4 degree apart and to their right is the double star of
Libra, Zubenelgenubi. Nice grouping!

I was using a Canon 60D camera and Canon 18-200mm lense at ISO 1250 f/4.0-5.6 and from 4 to 2
seconds.


Image by Rick Stankiewicz

January 6, 2018

2018-Jan 6 - S. Dunne - Jupiter - Mars Conjunction

I went out at about 5:30 am and 6:15 with about a half an hour in between to warm up and to see if 
I was getting anything. It was challenging,  -28ºC and -36ºC wind chill.

Four photos attached. Jupiter, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto left to right to the left and Mars to
the right.

Image by Sean Dunne

January 6, 2018

2018-Jan 7 - B. Colville - Jupiter - Mars Conjunction

Conditions this morning were not quite as cold as Saturday with a relatively calm wind and slightly
higher air temperature, but the sky was frequently cloudy.  It cleared off enough to entice me out
around 6:45, but attempts to take pictures were complicated by the cold camera electronics, frozen
LCD screens, and finickity memory cards.  While trying to solve these issues I watched a cloud bank
roll in from the west.

Around 7am I had the camera working, but lost the sky to clouds.  The clouds thinned out a bit and I
quickly grabbed these 2 images.

In the closeup, the Jupiter’s brightest moons were paired on each side of the planet, but not
resolved individually. To the west of the planet (right) are Ganymede and Callisto, while Io and
Europa are on the east side.

Images by Brian Colville

January 7, 2018

2018-Mar 18 - B. Colville - Moon-Venus-Mercury-2

I was hoping that the skies would be clear tonight for the conjunction of the very young moon,
Venus, and Mercury, all low in the west as twilight deepened.  I was fortunate to have the lingering
clouds clear out enough to grab a few pics.

Once the sky darkened a bit it was very easy to see Mercury as well, as well as the Earthshine.  The
pics were taken between 8:00 and 8:20pm with my Canon 60D and telephoto lens.  We can catch this
again tomorrow night, but the moon will have moved much higher in the sky…still a great sight if you
have a clear view to the western horizon.

Image by Brian Colville

March 18, 2018

Yes, it was a brief but beautiful twilight to night. The clouds made it a challenge, but patience
was rewarded.

What a beautiful alignment!


Image by Rick Stankiewicz

March 18, 2018

Moon and Venus Conjunction

Taken by: David Mills

While it was clear here in Monday morning, it was -28C and I was short of
time to dress warmly and go out to set up the camera to try to grab an image.
The two planets were aligned vertically in the SE, separated by about 2.5
degrees.  I had to leave early for work on Wednesday, and you could clearly
see how much they had moved relative to reach other in a few short days.
Venus had drifted a bit east, while Jupiter was further west.  I took a few pics
with my cell phone which shows how they appeared quite nicely.

Through a telescope, Venus is currently appears to be just past a 'first quarter
moon' phase, and slowly appears more gibbous as it sinks closer to the
horizon in the coming months.  Telescopically, its shrinks in apparent size as
its orbit moves opposite the sun from our point of view (further away from Earth).

One good part of watching this celestial dance is that you watch through a
window from inside if you don't fancy an early morning walk into the cold!!!

Image by Brian Colville

January 25, 2019

2020-Apr 1 - R. Stankiewicz - Mars - Saturn - Jupiter Conjunction

The evening sky is shaping up for a special conjunction in the west, but in the morning sky in the
SE. The attached were from this morning my April Fools surprise. Mars below Saturn, both below
Jupiter. Mars is taking a dive for the horizon every day now.

Taken by : Rick Stankiewicz
Date : 2020 - Apr 1

2020-Apr 16 - R. Stankiewicz - Mars - Saturn - Jupiter Conjunction

The morning sky in the SE. The attached were from this morning. Mars below Saturn, both below
Jupiter. Mars is taking a dive for the horizon every day now.

Taken by : Rick Stankiewicz
Date : 2020 - Apr 16

2020-Apr 2 - B. Colville - Venus - M45 (Pleiades) Conjunction

A couple of clear days here allowed some solar imaging, and a chance to image Venus and the Pleiades
as they draw closer together. I will likely be clouded out tomorrow night, so I was glad to have
clear skies after sunset tonight.

The image of Venus and M45 was taken through a William Optics 70mm, f6 ED and the Canon 60D camera,
with a 5 sec exposure, and earlier in the evening I shot a few images of the moon through the
Stellarvue 110ED.

I hope that these sights were visible and taken in by as many people on the planet as possible...an
escape however brief from the events we are mired in.

Taken by : Brian Colville
Date : 2020  -  Apr 2

2020-Apr 2 - R. Stankiewicz - M45 (Pleiades) above Venus Conjunction

Anyone watching the movement of Venus in the western sky the last while will notice that it has been
getting closer and closer to an open star cluster called M45 or Pleiades or The Seven Sisters or
Subaru (if you're Japanese).

Tonight, Venus moved right below M45 and tomorrow it will be right in the star cluster and the
following evening just above. This is will only happen every 8 years, as the background stars and
Venus cycle through the sky (celestial mechanics). Tomorrow, it is predicted to be cloudy here, so I
was really happy to have clear skies this evening to capture with my camera, what you would see in
binoculars if you happened to be looking at Venus.

Taken by : Rick Stankiewicz
Date : 2020-Apr 2

2020-June 13 - R.. Stankiewicz -  Venus 0.6 degrees from 27.7 day old Moon

Did anyone else get up at 4:00 a.m. this morning to see the most amazing conjunction of the
year (maybe years)?  I think on the east coast they actually had an occultation, but here if you
had a clear ENE horizon you could catch Venus only 0.6 degrees from a 3.7% illuminated
waning crescent Moon (27.7 days old). I had about a 15 to 20 window to get any images
before clouds and the Sun changed the view. Venus actually was pulling away from the Moon
every passing minute. Very cool to see and image.

When I was waiting for the big event I was "treated" to a barrage of Starlink satellites straight
overhead. For 30 seconds a string of single and paired lights flew overhead. Freaky but cool,
in an odd sort of way.

Taken by: Rick Stankiewicz
Date : June 19, 2020

2020-June 13 - R.. Stankiewicz -  Venus 0.6 degrees from 27.7 day old Moon

Did anyone else get up at 4:00 a.m. this morning to see the most amazing conjunction of the
year (maybe years)?  I think on the east coast they actually had an occultation, but here if you
had a clear ENE horizon you could catch Venus only 0.6 degrees from a 3.7% illuminated
waning crescent Moon (27.7 days old). I had about a 15 to 20 window to get any images
before clouds and the Sun changed the view. Venus actually was pulling away from the Moon
every passing minute. Very cool to see and image.

When I was waiting for the big event I was "treated" to a barrage of Starlink satellites straight
overhead. For 30 seconds a string of single and paired lights flew overhead. Freaky but cool,
in an odd sort of way.

Taken by: Rick Stankiewicz
Date : June 19, 2020

2020-Mar 27 - B. Colville - Moon - Venus Conjunction

The clear skies yesterday extended well into the night and I don't think anyone could have missed
and been impressed with the conjunction of the Moon and Venus in the west after sunset.  Once the
sky darkened a bit, you could also find M45 above Venus...this will be the show to watch over the
next week as Venus rises against the background stars in its orbit of the Sun, and the stars slowly
drift lower each passing night due to our orbital motion.

I have attached 2 pics taken last night around 8:30pm using my Canon 60D and a zoom lens...one wide
view and another zoomed in a bit more.  The Earthshine shows more in the zoomed pic.  The third pic
was taken around 10pm while doing some images with the camera piggy backed on the scope with an 85mm
lens.  This framed Venus and
M45 nicely, and I plan to image the pair each clear night that I can as Venus should slowly drift
towards the cluster and pass very close or perhaps cross through M45 on April 2-3.  The following
days will see Venus continue to rise higher and leave the cluster to move closer to the horizon. 
The next week or tow should have lots of photo opportunities as
the moon, Venus, and M45 dance after sunset.

One thing to note in the 85mm lens shot...the field constantly had satellites crossing while taking
images over several minutes (seen in the upper tight and lower left corners).  I'm not sure if this
is part of the Starlink  group of satellites or not.  Many other images in the west and north-west
sky had frequent satellite appearances as well.

Taken by : Brian Colville
Date : 2020-Mar 27

2020-Mar 27 - B. Colville - Venus - M45 (Pleiades)

The clear skies yesterday extended well into the night and I don't think anyone could have missed
and been impressed with the conjunction of the Moon and Venus in the west after sunset.  Once the
sky darkened a bit, you could also find M45 above Venus...this will be the show to watch over the
next week as Venus rises against the background stars in its orbit of the Sun, and the stars slowly
drift lower each passing night due to our orbital motion.

I have attached 2 pics taken last night around 8:30pm using my Canon 60D and a zoom lens...one wide
view and another zoomed in a bit more.  The Earthshine shows more in the zoomed pic.  The third pic
was taken around 10pm while doing some images with the camera piggy backed on the scope with an 85mm
lens.  This framed Venus and M45 nicely, and I plan to image the pair each clear night that I can as
Venus should slowly drift towards the cluster and pass very close or perhaps cross through M45 on
April 2-3.  The following days will see Venus continue to rise higher and leave the cluster to move
closer to the horizon.  The next week or tow should have lots of photo opportunities as the moon,
Venus, and M45 dance after sunset.

One thing to note in the 85mm lens shot...the field constantly had satellites crossing while taking
images over several minutes (seen in the upper tight and lower left corners).  I'm not sure if this
is part of the Starlink  group of satellites or not.  Many other images in the west and north-west
sky had frequent satellite appearances as well.

Taken by : Brian Colville
Date : 2020-Mar 27

2020-Mar 31 - B. Colville - Moon - Venus Conjunction

The skies cleared here just before sunset, which allowed a view of the show on the western
horizon...Venus and the moon have drifted apart but Venus is drawing closer to M45 as each day
passes.

I grabbed a few images using my Canon 60D and a zoom lens mounted on a fixed tripod, with one image
with the lens set at 18mm to get the moon and Venus and a second image set at approx...80mm which
highlights Venus and M45. Intermittent clouds were drifting through, but they only added to the
scenery!

Since the tripod is stationary anything over a 10 sec exposure at the longer focal lengths created
trailed stars, but the relatively short exposures still show the members of the Pleiades (M45) with
the brilliant new neighbor!


Taken by : Brian Colville
Date : 2020  - Mar 31

2020-May 31 - B. Colville - Venus - M45 (Pleiades) Conjunction

The skies cleared here just before sunset, which allowed a view of the show on the western
horizon...Venus and the moon have drifted apart but Venus is drawing closer to M45 as each day
passes.

I grabbed a few images using my Canon 60D and a zoom lens mounted on a fixed tripod, with one image
with the lens set at 18mm to get the moon and Venus and a second image set at approx.. 80mm which
highlights Venus and M45. Intermittent clouds were drifting through, but they only added to the
scenery!

Since the tripod is stationary anything over a 10 sec exposure at the longer focal lengths created
trailed stars, but the relatively short exposures still show the members of the Pleiades (M45) with
the brilliant new neighbor!

Taken by : Brian Colville
Date : 2020  - Mar 31

2020-September 6 - R. Stankiewicz - Moon and Mars Conjunction

Both images were slightly cropped in the end.

The first image was taken low in the east, just after moonrise, so lots of “atmosphere”.Using a
Canon 60D with Canon 100-400mm lense and 1.4 teleconverter = 560mm at f/8, ISO 1250 & 1/50th sec.
exp.

The second shot was taken shooting almost south and much higher declination 4 hours later. Using a
Nikon Coolpix P900 zoomed in to 2000mm at f/6.3, ISO 1600 & 1/2000 sec. exp.

…and it got even better, as the gap closed to half (0.6 degrees) hours later.

Taken by : Rick Stankiewicz

2021-Mar. 4 - Rick Stankiewicz -  MARS, TAURUS AND M45

Unfortunately, Wednesday was cloudy and cold, but last night was clear and cold. I preferred last
night for some photo ops. I think it was worth it?

Attached are my results and the only reason I was not observing with Brett and gang, which would
have been much warmer  and comfortable too. My fingers just about froze fiddling with camera
settings.

2021-Mar. 4 - Jason Lichter -  M45 & Mars, M101 and M51

M45 & Mars, M101 and M51 from Stewart Hall last couple of nights

2021-May 14 - Sean Dunne - New Moon and Mercury

New moon with the old moon in his arms, Mercury to the right. Taken near the Wayside Academy
(Fairview) last night.

2021-May 28 - Rick Stankiewicz - Check out Venus and Mercury this evening

If you have a decent view of the NNW horizon about a 30 min. to 45 min. after sunset you will see
these two "inner planets" just over 1 degree apart.

Last night they were just over 0.5 degrees apart, but you needed a good horizon to see them before
they set 10:00 P.M.

Attached are my offerings to get you out there this evening.

Good luck!

2021-May 29 - Brian Colville - Venus-Murcury-Geese

I managed to get some pics the inner planets in conjunction this evening, though Mercury was tough
in the haze on the western horizon.  As a bonus, a flock of geese passed through the field just
before I took the pic and they are in the far right side of the pic.

2021-Nov 7 - Dave Temple - Venus-Moon Conjunction

Very nice, I got a pic from my iPhone last night too

2021-Nov 7 - Rick Stankiewicz - Venus-Moon Conjunction

Venus-Moon conjunction with Nikon P900.

2021-Nov 7 - Rodger Forsyth - Venus-Moon Conjunction

I got a shot last night of the subject pair setting with the handheld Nikon P900.

3 Planets Moon Conjunction_1








11.09.04

3 Planets Moon Conjunction_2








11.09.04

4 Planet Conjunction

Venus-Mercury-Saturn-Mars






May 10.02

Beehive Cluster-Jupiter Conjunction

Daylight Moon-Venus Conjunction

Earthshine Moon-Venus Conjunction








01.20.07

View of Jupiter and the Moon taken Nov 21st 2013
at 10 PM.  Image was taken looking out from a high
ridge towards the east in South Florida near the Keys USA.

Image taken with an ALLMOUNT with a Canon 60Da.
using 50mm lens. This is a composite of 3 images
with  ISO at 400 and 1250 respectively.

Brian McGaffney

Jupiter-M44 Conjunction

Jupiter-Moon-Venus Conjunction








10.06.08

Jupiter-Moon Rise Conjunction

Lac Seul






06.08

Mars-Moon Conjunction








Jul.17.03

Moon Occults Pleaides








07.30.08

Moon-Mercury Conjunction

Moon-Venus Conjunction - 1

Moon-Venus Conjunction - 2

Moon-Venus Conjunction - 3

Moon-Venus Conjunction








Nov.01.08

Moon-Venus Conjunction

Moon-Venus Conjunction_1








Christmas 2003

Moon-Venus Conjunction_2








Christmas 2003

Saturn-Mars-Reguls-Moon Conjunction








08

As you can see I got about a 13 minute window
on Venus (left) & Jupiter this morning up at
the Wayside Academy (Woodland & Carnegie) before
a bank of cloud took over.

October 2014

Sean.

Venus-Crescent Moon Conjunction at Sunrise








02.02.00

Venus-Jupiter Conjunction








04.Nov.2004

Venus-Jupiter Conjunction








Jun.3.02

Venus-Mercury








Aug 4 2010

Venus-Mercury Conjunction








Sept.05

Venus-Moon Conjunction_1








Feb.18.07

Venus-Moon Conjunction_2








Feb.18.07