Dec's Guide to the Night Sky for Amateur Astromomers - including Melbourne weather

Things are really good for me @Owlunar.

What a great gift your daughter gives you every year. I would use it every night there is no cloud.

The planet - which I assume is Mars - is higher above the moon than at this time yesterday.

And there is a bright star low down in the west which I'm guessing would be Venus.

I love your knowledge on this.

I forgot to ask - how is your daughters health now? & your family in Tassie? I've missed a lot over the past few months

Hi @utopia

I just went out and looked at the sky - yes - that's Mars above the moon tonight and in the west the really bright planet is Venus and Jupiter is over there too - Antares and Saturn are harder to see with so much moon-light

I have been busy today and wow - my back ached when I looked up and titled backwards to look directly overhead - I know what's up there - I don't need to look up there tonight

My daughter has recovered from her surgeries - she was so ill for a while - I was so worried - and my grand-daughter is having a serve of much the same thing - she will be having surgery soon - I forget exactly when but she is on a list if there is a cancellation - she really does not have good health -

My family in Tassie are difficult to contact - I think things I can't talk about have caused them to go interstate or overseas - there sons live overseass - I could ask a couple of other relatives but I don't want to interfer - I respect their privacy

But there is too much privacy at times - I have had to give over being concerned about them - I am sure I will learn about it if things turn really bad - like worse than they are now

It's not good though - but I don't seem to be as anxious - that could be my blood pressure medication - it is sometimes used to relieve anxiety

Strange that

Dec

I know what you mean. You've already looked up the book on what will be in the sky - but our body has a mind if its own and needs to look up and see for itself. Lol.

Yes my sister just underwent same surgery a month ir so ago. Once recovered - she is feeling so much better. The surgery really helped her. I hope your granddaughter gets her surgery soon.

And yes - it's very bright outside tonight. Tomorrow no torches will be needed.

I love a full moon

Hi @utopia @Shaz51 @outlander @Mazarita @Zoe7 @BlueBay - any others passing though

It's been a while since I have posted here - I have either slept through great sights with the sky or it has been indifferent and cloudy but this morning was brilliant

So - like people in the southern states - I turned my clocks back an hour before I went to bed on Sunday and I always feel a bit jet-lagged when we adjust the time - it's normal and common apparently - but I woke up realy early this morning and the sky was clear - I could see Venus rising in the east with Mercury just behind it and above Jupiter with Saturn following - harder to see as the dawn light was just breaking Sobut good to see my friends in the sky after some time

So everyone who has to adjust their clocks - I read that it really does jet-lag us twice a year to have day-light saving - it doesn't fade the curtains or the carpets as some old biddies use to say - it's 47 years since the re-instituted daylight saving and I do like it when I am away particularly - being able to walk later in the evenings

All the best my friends - if you feel like getting up before dawn and taking a look - Venus has been beautiful for some time now but will return to the evening sky soon

Dec

Starrt starry night

hello @Owlunar

found your thread and I was wondering how the night sky is at winter time

Hello @utopia , @outlander , @Mazarita , @Zoe7 , @Ali11

This is such a great thread @Owlunar! Thanks for the tag @Shaz51. I too would be interested to hear if there is a difference in the winter sky!

Hi @Ali11 @Shaz51 @utopia @outlander @Mazarita @BlueBay

The stars and planets are still out there at night but things have changed as time passes - the winter sky is brighter and there for longer but alas - Melbourne weather is not user-friendly when it comes to seeing the planets

But atm Jupiter rises early in the evening and it's really brilliant to see - Saturn rises a little behind it and on clear nights is quiet bright - it was when these two planets were rising one after the other in 1995 that I started watching the planets - and became really interested in what was happening

It will be a couple of years before they catch up to each other again -

In the evening right now the moon in in the west and clearly visible after sunset and Mercury, Venus and Mars would all be visible on a clear night - but I don't have a good horizon to the west and haven't seen them myself - more's the pity - a walk after sunset would be a good idea but as everyone in this part of the world knows it has been cold lately -

It's really great to know that people are still interested in this thread - I will take a look on clear evenings and make sure I see what I can in the west in the evening - Venus is easy to find but Mars and Mercury are harder - but once I find one I can soon find the other and also Orion is easy to find - I have seen that recently

Thanks everyone

Dec

ohh yes please @Owlunar , my grandfather loved sitting under the stars xoxo

Such a fascinating topic @Owlunar, have you seen the film Clara? It was quite beautiful, a lot of talk about the stars and galaxies.

Hi @Ali11 @Shaz51 @utopia @outlander @Mazarita

The title of this thread includes Melbourne Weather - and we are having it right now - cold, grey, gloomy and still and - yes - the icing on the cake is - guess what - it's raining

I really don't find this time of year my favourite though we have had some brilliant days this year - our autumn was fantastic

The night sky - yes - I have taken a walk after sunset to try and find Mercury, Venus and Mars in the evening sky but I have been too early - they are too close to the sun and the sky as been too bright - but I did see when I went out on Sunday night was truly beautiful

The full moon was rising and right beside it was Jupiter - and because they are opposite the setting sun right now both were brilliant

It's taken a couple of days to get around to posting and the moon has past being full now but Jupiter is rising after sunset and Saturn is right behind it and very bright too and worth a brief walk outside to see

Dec