rrm@inuxe.UUCP (Ron Meyer) (11/28/84)
In reply to Jim Collymore's question on the objects he has been observing, I'll post the answers on the net so anyone else who has been wondering the same thing can also benefit. Jim, you are correct in your guess on the brightest planet being Venus. Other than the sun and moon, it is the brightest object you will see in the sky. Unless of course, a spectacular supernova happens to appear sometime. The other object near venus is jupiter. If you have a set of binoculars (or a telescope would be better) you may be able to see some of jupiters moon's, but you need to hold the binocs. very steady to see them. With a telescope however, the moons are very easy to see as well as detail in the planets atmospheric bands. Also if one happens to look to the east along the eclipitic, you will notice a red object which is also fairly bright (maybe about 1 or 2 magnitudes dimmer than jupiter). This happens to be the planet Mars. If you have a telescope and most importantly, a steady atmosphere, you may be able to see detail on this planet as well. Ron Meyer inuxe!rrm Secretary-Indiana Astronomical Soc.
ltn@lems.UUCP (Les Niles) (12/03/84)
[] In article <inuxe.665> rrm@inuxe.UUCP (Ron Meyer) writes: >... If you have a set of binoculars (or a telescope would be better) you may >be able to see some of jupiters moon's, .... This reminds me, i remeber reading somewhere that jupiter's moons are fairly bright (mag. 5 or so), and would be visible to the naked eye if not for the glare of jupiter, and that by standing so that some nearby object *just* blocks out the planet, the moons are visible. I wonder if anyone has ever really seen this??? It would take a pretty dark & clear sky, and it would probably help to know when the moons were at their greatest elongation. -les niles