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The moon and planets

(32 Posts)
JessM Mon 26-Mar-12 18:05:58

The moon and planets were spectacular last night just after it got dark. Venus blasting away very brightly, accompanied by Jupiter, with a thin crescent of moon nearby - and shifting in their juxtaposition of course. And you could see the earthshine clearly - the reflected light from earth on the shadowed part of the moon. Worth a look again tonight I would say folks.

numberplease Tue 27-Mar-12 22:11:18

Don`t usually bother much with the sky, but it`s lovely up there tonight.

artygran Wed 28-Mar-12 21:43:24

We're so lucky with these clear nights. I've been watching Jupiter and Venus most of this month with my grandson; Jupiter almost gone now below the horizon. Mars is very clear here tonight, too. Anybody downloaded Stellarium? Just put in your location and it gives you a real time picture of the night sky - you can move through it and find planets, constellations, satellite movements, nebulas and relate them to what you see outside. GS thinks its great. Wish I'd had it when I was young!

Carol Wed 28-Mar-12 22:08:57

I've downloaded a Night Sky app on my iphone and when I hold it in any direction it uses satellite tracking to tell me what's in vision, showing a copy of the night sky I am facing. Just about to go out in the garden to have a last look tonight.

artygran Thu 29-Mar-12 17:39:53

My son has that on his 'phone, but I'm afraid I haven't moved out of the steam- driven mobile phone age yet! I have taken the laptop outside into the garden with the binoculars, and it was dark so the neighbours couldn't see me and wonder if I'd entirely lost my marbles!!

Annobel Thu 29-Mar-12 17:55:26

Android had Google Sky Map - very informative.

Annobel Thu 29-Mar-12 17:56:00

Not 'had' - it still HAS!