We’re going out in minutes to see if we can see anything across the meadow in Syon Park and a distant line of trees, but look again at my page about this – go to https://www.universalworkshop.com/conjunctions-of-jupiter-and-saturn/
although it will remain available (and perhaps even bookified even more extensively) under the “Astronomical Calendar” link at the top. I had to amend it slightly after posting it yesterday, added a nice thought about the orbital planes slicing through each other, and now have added just one of the other components I had imagined I would have time to make: a “Table of Selected Dates.”
A solid week of clouds with some mostly clear today, until the evening haze rolled in. But I was able to see the conjunction looking west southwest though a thin patch of haze. I was able to see both planets as separate and Saturn was at the right of Jupiter, at the 2:00 position relative to a clockface. I was able to utilize some small binoculars to clearly see both planets through the haze, but no moons for me, alas.
Hope you had some luck in seeing the event on Dec 20th Guy. Here in NE England, it’s been a frustrating month for trying to spot this pair of planets, with clouds over the low SW sky every evening. Indeed, it’s been a rare day that hasn’t been solidly overcast throughout. I did just glimpse Saturn using 7×50 binoculars on Dec 17 in strong twilight around 16:05. The sky was too bright still for an unaided view then, though Jupiter was easy enough, as was the waxing crescent Moon. The Moon was already in clouds by that time, however, and the planets followed it less than three minutes later. Thankfully, Dec 20 was much clearer, and both planets were easy naked-eye objects by 16:20. Tonight – 21st – was hopeless though, as after heavy overcast and rain all day, the early evening stayed cloudy, but with added fog, just for a change…
It has been cloudy to mostly cloudy here in north central Ohio for about a week but magically the clouds cleared just at sunset and I got a beautiful view last night (20 Dec.). Saturn was above and just right of Jupiter. I could see them both with the naked eye. I thought Saturn would be left of Jupiter but it probably appeared rightward due to the tilt of the ecliptic plane compared to the horizon. That is, it would have been left of Jupiter if a line were drawn perpendicular to the ecliptic and through Jupiter.
“Happy solstice” many folks like to say
The sun will shine longer beginning today.
Not all will be glad
and some will be sad
Night is when astronomers get to play
Watching\sharing every night. Telescope set up, sharing binoculars. Got neighbors involved w\2 kids under 10…they have so many good questions. Luckily our weather\ skies have been perfect….out again tonight. So lucky weather is cooperating….usually rain here in NCalif