Cyprus-Forum.com

[Lit]

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/sc ... p_jupiter/

Sept. 15, 2010: Been outside at midnight lately? There's something you really need to see. Jupiter is approaching Earth for the closest encounter between the two planets in more than a decade--and it is dazzling.

The night of closest approach is Sept. 20-21st. This is also called "the night of opposition" because Jupiter will be opposite the sun, rising at sunset and soaring overhead at midnight. Among all denizens of the midnight sky, only the Moon itself will be brighter.

Earth-Jupiter encounters happen every 13 months when the Earth laps Jupiter in their race around the sun. But because Earth and Jupiter do not orbit the sun in perfect circles, they are not always the same distance apart when Earth passes by. On Sept. 20th, Jupiter will be as much as 75 million km closer than previous encounters and will not be this close again until 2022.

The view through a telescope is excellent. Because Jupiter is so close, the planet's disk can be seen in rare detail--and there is a lot to see. For instance, the Great Red Spot, a cyclone twice as wide as Earth, is bumping up against another storm called "Red Spot Jr." The apparition of two planet-sized tempests grinding against one another must be seen to be believed.

Also, Jupiter's trademark South Equatorial Belt (SEB) recently vanished, possibly submerging itself beneath high clouds. Researchers say it could reappear at any moment. The dramatic resurgence would be accompanied by a globe-straddling profusion of spots and cloudy swirls, clearly visible in backyard telescopes.

And what was that flash? Amateur astronomers have recently reported a surprising number of fireballs in Jupiter's atmosphere. Apparently, many small asteroids or comet fragments are hitting the giant planet and exploding among the clouds. Researchers who have studied these events say visible flashes could be occurring as often as a few times a month.

Finally, we mustn't forget the moons of Jupiter because they are also having a close encounter with Earth. These are planet-sized worlds with active volcanoes (Io), possible underground oceans (Europa), vast fields of craters (Callisto), and mysterious global grooves (Ganymede). When Galileo discovered the moons 400 years ago, they were no more than pinpricks of light in his primitive spy glass. Big, modern amateur telescopes reveal actual planetary disks with colorful markings.

It makes you wonder, what would Galileo think?

Answer: "I'm getting up at midnight!"

[Lit]

The solar system's largest planet will swing to within a mere 368 million miles of Earth on Monday night, making its closest pass in 47 years.

Jupiter will rise in the east as the sun sets and climb across the heavens as the brightest object in the sky apart from the moon. At midnight it will be directly overhead. It will set in the west just before dawn.

The planet, named for the Roman king of the gods, nears the Earth roughly every 12 years. This will be the closest the planet has come to Earth since 1963. It won't be this close again until 2022.

Jupiter can easily be seen with the naked eye, but a telescope will afford an even better view. Binoculars, too, can assist stargazers.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-b ... 0578.story

[bill cobbett]

Cloudy in London tonight. Been watching J for weeks, and it has been very bright, and with a bit of luck perhaps a clear sky tomorrow.

A small tip for those wishing to use a pair of binoculars to view J and its four larger moons... lean with the binos against a house-wall, or hold them on the back of a chair to steady them.

Oh and another tip, where to find J?... it'll be over in the south-east late night. Look up for the brightest star, it's unmistakable.

[Oracle]

A small tip for those wishing to use a pair of binoculars to view J and its four larger moons... lean with the binos against a house-wall, or hold them on the back of a chair to steady them.

Drunk again, bill?

[bill cobbett]

A small tip for those wishing to use a pair of binoculars to view J and its four larger moons... lean with the binos against a house-wall, or hold them on the back of a chair to steady them.

Drunk again, bill?

........ me? ......... neber!!!....

Clody in London again tonight.

[Get Real!]

A small tip for those wishing to use a pair of binoculars to view J and its four larger moons... lean with the binos against a house-wall, or hold them on the back of a chair to steady them.

Got any tips for this guy looking for "terrorists" Bill?



He claims he was the first to spot “Black Holes” in the universe...

[CBBB]

A small tip for those wishing to use a pair of binoculars to view J and its four larger moons... lean with the binos against a house-wall, or hold them on the back of a chair to steady them.

Got any tips for this guy looking for "terrorists" Bill?



He claims he was the first to spot “Black Holes” in the universe...

The new geezer has got his own black hole!

[Get Real!]

A small tip for those wishing to use a pair of binoculars to view J and its four larger moons... lean with the binos against a house-wall, or hold them on the back of a chair to steady them.

Got any tips for this guy looking for "terrorists" Bill?



He claims he was the first to spot “Black Holes” in the universe...

The new geezer has got his own black hole!

I guess with the advancement in technology monoculars are the way to go…

[bill cobbett]

A small tip for those wishing to use a pair of binoculars to view J and its four larger moons... lean with the binos against a house-wall, or hold them on the back of a chair to steady them.

Got any tips for this guy looking for "terrorists" Bill?



He claims he was the first to spot “Black Holes” in the universe...

The new geezer has got his own black hole!

I guess with the advancement in technology monoculars are the way to go…

Think the silly bugger should take the lens caps off !!!!!!........

[Oracle]

A small tip for those wishing to use a pair of binoculars to view J and its four larger moons... lean with the binos against a house-wall, or hold them on the back of a chair to steady them.

Got any tips for this guy looking for "terrorists" Bill?



He claims he was the first to spot “Black Holes” in the universe...

The new geezer has got his own black hole!

I guess with the advancement in technology monoculars are the way to go…

Think the silly bugger should take the lens caps off !!!!!!........

And then turn them the other way round ... I'm sure dem terrorists were right under his nose .....