This week is a great time for looking at the largest planetary member of our solar system. Jupiter is one of four gas giant planets out beyond the orbit of Mars.
The Jolly Giant will be at its closest point to Earth this week and you can't miss it. Just look in the southeast after dark to see what appears to be an extremely bright star! Those of you with a steady hand and binoculars may even detect up to four of Jupiter's many moons! Up the ante and look at this behemoth, you'll see at least two bands of clouds and maybe even a huge swirling storm known as the Great Red Spot! --The GRS is visible in the picture above. Look on the left hand side!
Earth is tiny compared to this planet. You could line up ten Earths across its diameter. Even the Great Red Spot is bigger!
If you don't have a telescope but would like to see Jupiter up close, plan on coming out to "Astronomy Day", presented by Durham Region Astronomical Association on Saturday May 6th. There will be indoor and outdoor displays and telescopes, all sorts of info on astronomy and more than I can list here. Starting at 1 PM, there will be safe viewing of storms on our sun and in the evening, Saturn and Jupiter --note, Jupiter comes up later than Saturn. The outdoor stuff is weather permitting of course.
It all happens at The Parkwood Estate, 270 Simcoe Street North in Oshawa. The event is free.
Picture Credit: NASA STScI
Astronomy Day at Parkwood.
Mr. Sam would approve!
Posted by: Gwen | May 04, 2006 at 09:49 AM