What Is Those 2 Big Stars In The Sky ?

[Chaimai]

Is there a mean to mark the thread as "resolved" ?

TV threads are never "resolved", they just fade away

[mgjackson69]

...I noticed 2 stars (or planets) I never saw before, looking at north or east.

Methinks the OP needs a compass. Those planets are visible to the southwest.

[JCDentonMale]

Yeah right, I need a compass

That's south west.

[Gertrude]

Thanks, I'll be looking tonight.

[benw10]

this evening is the best night to look, along with the crescent moon the 2 stars will make a smiley face (aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh) and during early evening the earths shadow will be visible passing the moon surface also! according to last weeks bkkpost

[Meerkat]

For any early risers (or late sleepers) out there, Saturn is visible on the opposite side of the sky. It rises above the eastern horizon around 1am and moves up towards the zenith (the sky directly above your head) just before sunrise. It's not as bright as Jupiter (and no where near as bright as Venus), but will be about the brightest thing in that part of the sky when it rises.

If you can find anyone with a telescope (something between x100-x200 is good for this), Jupiter looks stunning at the moment, and you can clearly see four of its moons circling it along with the cloud bands. Saturn's not quite as good as the rings are almost edge on to the earth at the moment so not as well defined.

Anybody interested in the night sky should check out a free program called Stellarium (Win, Mac and Linux). After you enter your latitude and longitude (you can find them on google maps), it'll give you an exact picture of what's in the sky from your location, and you can move around the sky and zoom in or out of bits that interest you.

[Kerryd]

13 posts without the obligatory mention of uranus?

Who is looking at Uranus ?

I'd slap them ! I'd much rather look at Venus than Uranus.

Then again, get me liquored up and who knows ?

Are you suggesting that after enough you might want to look at my....

At your "smiley" ?

After spending enough time in this place, with no booze and only the odd camel wandering around,

I might be willing to look at a Moon, and if Uranus happens to be in the area............

(but if I see a couple of smaller globes orbiting the same area, me and my telescope are of there !)

[dingdongrb]

It's looking pretty awesome right now... Oh how I wish I had that telescopic lens for my camera right about now... Where is Santa when you need him?

[Tywais]

This is the best I could do with my P&S at 12x optical, my tripod is broken so hand held. Hope someone gets some better shots. I imagine a dSLR would handle it nicely.

[dingdongrb]

This is the best I could do with my P&S at 12x optical, my tripod is broken so hand held. Hope someone gets some better shots. I imagine a dSLR would handle it nicely.

I hope so too as my eyes get a better pic even after 3 crown and cokes....

[stumonster]

when you are pondering the lights in the sky that are not insects reflected in the lights you could try here

http://www.google.com/sky/

[Samuian]

The planets visible right now are Venus, Neptune, Jupiter Uranus, Pluto and the good old Moon waxing.

Very likely the 2 will be venus and jupiter

Nice screen saver

Edited December 1, 2008 by Samuian

[camerata]

Here's my hand-held shot at 7pm:

[Stravaig]

I've just seen it. What a wonderful sight!

[Moonrakers]

It's too cloudy here

[Neeranam]

My daughter shouted out this evening while I was driving, "Daddy there's a big smiley in the sky"

[DeathbyDurian]

Despite everything, Bangkok still has a smile.

[AlexLah]

The best I could get from my balcony.

It's a bit hazy so not a good shot.

[Meerkat]

And to zoom in a bit...

I've only had the scope a week so still finding my feet. I tried to snap Jupiter but got it horribly wrong.

[Maverell]

[Insight]

2Bangkok has an update on their site with two good photos.

Seen it driving past Asok before. Everybody had gathered around near the traffic lights taking photos.

[Moonrakers]

Is it still there?

[Meerkat]

Is it still there?

Nope, gone below the horizon now (at least from Bangkok). The three will be close together again tomorrow evening, but the moon will be above the two planets.

[Kerryd]

Not the best pictures in the world, but maybe the best from Kandahar, Afghanistan !!

(I suck at taking pictures ! I have no clue when it comes to exposure settings and 95% of the other features of this contraption !!)

[Insight]

Nice one KerryD.

The Nation now has a picture of the "smile", followed by a picture of Nattakorn Devakula on the front page. 10 baht for the first person who can tell which is which.

[AmeriThai]

Nice one KerryD.

The Nation now has a picture of the "smile", followed by a picture of Nattakorn Devakula on the front page. 10 baht for the first person who can tell which is which.

The moon is the 'smile'. Venus is the large 'eye' on the left. Jupiter is the one on the right.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27958792/

(Note to self: Walked right into that one. )

Edited December 1, 2008 by AmeriThai

[JCDentonMale]

Here is a photo I took this evening, for those who can't see it.

Photo

I'm not sure but I think I can see the Jupiter rings on that photo !

[edit] : I wasn't knowing many people posted their photo before me because I didn't refreshed the thread ^^

But my photo is in 3072x2304 and quite clear. Try it !

Edited December 1, 2008 by gabylastar

[mild7even]

And the view from Jalalabad, Afghanistan...

[Meerkat]

Here is a photo I took this evening, for those who can't see it.

I'm not sure but I think I can see the Jupiter rings on that photo !

[edit] : I wasn't knowing many people posted their photo before me because I didn't refreshed the thread ^^

But my photo is in 3072x2304 and quite clear. Try it !

Nice photo! Actually all the photos posted have been great.

The rings you're seeing around Jupiter are three of its moons. I took a close-up at around the same time. I over-exposed it and have tried to correct it, but I'm still not happy with the result - all the cloud-bands are washed out.

[JCDentonMale]

You're right ! I just installed Stellarium, noticed that the "rings" were in fact the moons and was about to post the same conclusion about my photo ! I didn't think it was actually possible to see some of the Jupiter moon with a simple photo device...