Last night I caught a beautiful close conjunction of two of jupiter's satellites. At about 11:10pm EST two moons were stacked with about a moon's width of black sky between them. They looked like a close double star of equal magnitudes but with striking color difference - one yellow/gold, the other blue/gray white.
The color difference and similar size/magnitude made it easy to identify them as Io (yellow) and Europa - with bright Ganymede closest on the other side of Jupiter and dusky Callisto furthest out. I always enjoy playing "name that moon" - trying to identify the Jovian moons using their color, magnitude (or the disk size when the seeing is good) and location to solve the puzzle. A quick check on the S&T chart confirms if my guess was right.
Io and Europa have a pile of close conjunctions and transits this month.
happy easter, all
Alan Friedman
The color difference and similar size/magnitude made it easy to identify them as Io (yellow) and Europa - with bright Ganymede closest on the other side of Jupiter and dusky Callisto furthest out. I always enjoy playing "name that moon" - trying to identify the Jovian moons using their color, magnitude (or the disk size when the seeing is good) and location to solve the puzzle. A quick check on the S&T chart confirms if my guess was right.
Io and Europa have a pile of close conjunctions and transits this month.
happy easter, all
Alan Friedman
Alan Friedman
http://www.avertedimagination.com
