As de facto webmaster for Sky & Telescope, I've been keenly aware of the events unfolding this week in the evening sky. Venus and Jupiter have been approaching an extraordinarily close conjunction, which will take place this evening. Meanwhile, Vesta, the brightest asteroid, is poised to thread the narrow gap between the spectacular double star Gamma Leonis and 4.8-magnitude 40 Leonis.

Tony Flanders

I knew I had to keep these events prominent on our website, but I didn't expect to see any of them myself, since the weather was forecast to be cloudy. So imagine my surprise when I looked out the window yesterday just before leaving work and saw a completely clear, dark blue sky!

By sheer coincidence, it was 15 minutes after sunset — just when I had been telling people to go out and look for Venus and Jupiter. So I grabbed the 7×35 binoculars that I always keep in my office, ran up to the top of the hill in the park across the street, and started to look. Sure enough, Venus was plainly visible to my unaided eyes, below the thin crescent Moon and a smidge to the left, just as advertised.

I couldn't see Jupiter with my eyes alone, but it was plenty obvious through binoculars — and seeming very far away from Venus. Hard to believe that it would close that gap in just 24 hours!

Tony Flanders

I went out after supper to look for Vesta. When I set up my telescope, the sky was still completely clear, but by the time Gamma Leonis was high enough to locate, the clouds had moved back in. And tonight it's going to be snowing. So although I've been tracking Vesta every clear night for the last week, I'll miss both of the climax nights when it's closest to Gamma Leonis.

Oh well, there's always another year. Seeing Venus and Jupiter so close together was an unexpected bonus; I can't ask for everything.

If you're lucky enough to have clear skies this evening, try to find a spot with an unobstructed west-southwest horizon and take a look for Venus and Jupiter as soon as the Sun has set. They should make a splendid pair through a small scope at 30× or thereabouts. And the crescent Moon above them is no slouch either.

Then, later in the night, take a look for Vesta. It's easy to see even in the smallest binoculars, and might just be visible naked-eye if your skies are really dark. Especially if you've never knowingly seen an asteroid, this is a chance in a lifetime. With the brightest asteroid of all at its brightest for the year, situated right next to a very prominent star, with yet another bright star to mark the way, you may never again find an asteroid so well placed for easy observation.

Click here for more information on Vesta and how to find it.

Oh, and if you have a telescope, don't forget to take a look at Gamma Leonis. 100× should be ample to split this double star into its bright golden components. In any case, enter a comment below and tell us how you did tonight.

Comments


Image of Dave

Dave

February 16, 2010 at 7:36 am

I just read this and Im so rushing home after work to have a look see, I tried to find jupiter last night but maybe it was too early, I saw the cressent moon, but no jupiter/venus :(. I'll definitely be looking out tonight for both of em and vesta later on... Im PUMPED!

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Image of Tony Flanders

Tony Flanders

February 16, 2010 at 7:54 am

I was thinking after posting this that normally Venus and Jupiter are the easiest things to find in the night sky aside from the Moon, while asteroids usually take a lot of work. This time it's just the opposite. Venus and Jupiter require a perfect site with an absolutely unobstructed western horion, good atmospheric conditions, proper timing, and probably binoculars. Vesta, on the other hand, is just there for the picking after dark for anybody with binoculars who can recognize the constellation of Leo.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Image of Dave

Dave

February 16, 2010 at 8:52 am

Really, granted I havent checked in a few weeks, but Jupiter had usually been pretty easy to spot with how bright it was, has it gotten harder of late or something?. I was actually thinking vesta was gonna be hard to spot. Tried a few weeks ago and couldnt for the life of me :(. Im a total newbie to all this so I have no clue how to find leo lol, I can spot maybe 2 constellations easily orion and caseopia, I'll have to give leo a shot tonight :).

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Image of Joe Stieber

Joe Stieber

February 16, 2010 at 2:23 pm

As a "warm-up" for tonight, I was able to spot Venus and Jupiter without too much difficulty on Sunday evening (Feb 14) with my 16x70 binoculars, despite broken clouds. Venus was spotted about 5 minutes before sunset and Jupiter about 10 minutes after sunset. (However, I could not find the 20-hour old moon, much to my chagrin.)

Here in Southern New Jersey, we had snow overnight into mid-day today, but now it's moving out (and must be headed in Tony's direction). I'm hopeful it will be clear enough at sunset so I can see Venus and Jupiter a half degree apart.

Later, I will be watching for Vesta. I too have spotted it on most clear nights for the past few weeks, and I've been looking forward to tonight when it will split the 22 arc-min gap between Algieba and 40 Leonis. I've been an amateur astronomer for several decades, but I never tire of seeing celestial objects that move noticeably from night to night.

Since Vesta is in such an easily located spot, I'd think about taking a drive out to the dark skies of the NJ Pines if it really cleared up and try to spot it naked eye as Tony suggested (I finally spotted Uranus naked eye in 2009 after having cateract surgey). I wonder if the "glare" from Algieba would interfere?

You must be logged in to post a comment.

You must be logged in to post a comment.