James Webb image
Have you seen Jupiter in this image by the James Webb Space Telescope? Clearly visible in this image are Jupiter’s dust ring and bright auroras at the poles. Just amazing how the human race is now able to get such clear images of space objects!
Good Heavens
Good Heavens see less detail when looking at Jupiter through our 8” telescope. But what we can see of Jupiter with our own eyes is spectacular nonetheless! Take the opportunity to gaze at this beautiful planet in the next few months, whether it’s with Good Heavens here on Aotea Great Barrier Island (book here) or with your naked eyes or through binoculars or a telescope at home. Current conditions are still pretty good, as Jupiter was in opposition in September.
Opposition
That Jupiter was in opposition means that, from the viewpoint of Earth’s surface, Jupiter rose in the east while the Sun was setting in the west, placing the object and the Sun on opposite sides of Earth. See the image below. (image credit: BBC)
At the time, we were around 590 kilometers apart. Jupiter is currently (Dec 2022) around 700 million kilometers away from Earth, or around 40 light minutes. Still close in comparison to the furthest distance this most massive planet gets away from us in our orbits around the Sun, at approximately 970 million kilometers away.
During opposition the planet was visible for most of the night, whereas currently it’s slightly northwest of the zenith when it gets dark in the evening and sets a few hours after midnight. It will disappear out of the evening sky by February, so grab your chance this summer.
Location location location
If you are not on Aotea Great Barrier Island to gaze at Jupiter with us in the next few months, look east soon after sunset and you’ll see Jupiter appear in the twilight. It’s the brightest thing you can currently see in the night sky apart from the Moon.
Jupiter is visible throughout the summer months slowly moving from East to West in the evening sky. Observe the king planet with your naked eyes or use binoculars. When using binoculars, if you look closely, you should be able to spot two, three or four of its Galilean moons, Ganymede, Callisto, Io and Europa.
Happy planetgazing!
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