APOD: Moon Meets Jupiter (2012 Jul 20)

[APOD Robot]

Moon Meets Jupiter

Explanation: Skygazers around planet Earth enjoyed the close encounter of planets and Moon in July 15's predawn skies. And while many saw bright Jupiter next to the slender, waning crescent, Europeans also had the opportunity to watch the ruling gas giant pass behind the lunar disk, occulted by the Moon as it slid through the night. Clouds threaten in this telescopic view from Montecassiano, Italy, but the frame still captures Jupiter after it emerged from the occultation along with all four of its large Galilean moons. The sunlit crescent is overexposed with the Moon's night side faintly illuminated by Earthshine. Lined up left to right beyond the dark lunar limb are Callisto, Ganymede, Jupiter, Io, and Europa. In fact, Callisto, Ganymede, and Io are larger than Earth's Moon, while Europa is only slightly smaller.

<< Previous APOD

This Day in APOD

Next APOD >>

[owlice]

This is a stunning image. Wow!

[orin stepanek]

This is a stunning image. Wow!

I'm in full agreement! Jupiter and moons; Wow!

[moonstruck]

Double Wow! I thought at first it was an artist illustration, but Wow, Wow!

[nstahl]

Outstanding.

[pmoss]

Great image!

Thereis another object visisble above the Earth Moon, at almost 12:00. What is it?

[Chris Peterson]

There is another object visisble above the Earth Moon, at almost 12:00. What is it?

A star (mag 6.3). There's another star (mag 6.0) just to the left of the Moon, as well. These stars are more than a magnitude dimmer than Jupiter's moons, besides being attenuated by clouds (there is at least one other star close to the Moon that would be visible except for those clouds).

[FloridaMike]

This is a stunning image. Wow!

I'm in full agreement! Jupiter and moons; Wow!

...and clouds! I know clouds are the bane of the Astro-photographer. However, they sure added a dramatic element to this photo.

[Guest_m]

[Guest]

The Facebook thumbnail is wrong.

[Ann]

There is another object visisble above the Earth Moon, at almost 12:00. What is it?

A star (mag 6.3). There's another star (mag 6.0) just to the left of the Moon, as well. These stars are more than a magnitude dimmer than Jupiter's moons, besides being attenuated by clouds (there is at least one other star close to the Moon that would be visible except for those clouds).

Do you know the HD numbers of those stars, Chris? (Or maybe their SAO numbers?)

I think that HD 27742 (a B8 star) and HD 27639 (an M0 star) are both near magnitude 6.0, and they are both close to Jupiter. But I can't find one close to Jupiter whose magnitude would be near 6.3.

Ann

[Murrkon5]

I'm a little gobsmacked. Sure, today's spectacular image features the Moon, but no mention anywhere of "Space Era"?? 43 years ago? Anyone? Anyone?

[Chris Peterson]

Do you know the HD numbers of those stars, Chris? (Or maybe their SAO numbers?)

I think that HD 27742 (a B8 star) and HD 27639 (an M0 star) are both near magnitude 6.0, and they are both close to Jupiter. But I can't find one close to Jupiter whose magnitude would be near 6.3.

I think the star on the left is HD 27742 (v=6.0) and above is HD 27524 (v=6.8). The one I originally thought was on top is in my catalog as GSC 1276-1033 (mag 6.3), however, a SIMBAD search suggests that this is a bad entry in the catalog and doesn't correspond to an actual star (a common problem with the GSC catalog).

[sage]

That's Fantastic, Cristian!

[maxxx111]

I believe I'm seeing it!

Yes, yes!

Take a slightly averted look at Jupiter and you will just pick up the dark band !

[Chris Peterson]

Take a slightly averted look at Jupiter and you will just pick up the dark band !

Averted imagination, you mean. There's no structure present in this image of Jupiter.

[Anthony Barreiro]

I'm a little gobsmacked. Sure, today's spectacular image features the Moon, but no mention anywhere of "Space Era"?? 43 years ago? Anyone? Anyone?

It was one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for [hu]mankind.

[chanio]

Hi!
Sorry for my ignorance, but isn't it the Moon's shadow over Jupiter what we are seeing?
If it were the moon's body, the proportions wouldn't seem to match.
And the Moon´s rounded body would cover the satelites view...

[Ann]

Hi!
Sorry for my ignorance, but isn't it the Moon's shadow over Jupiter what we are seeing?
If it were the moon's body, the proportions wouldn't seem to match.
And the Moon´s rounded body would cover the satelites view...

A crescent Moon with its night side illuminated by earthshine.
Photo: Chris Cook.

I'm not absolutely sure I understand your question, but what we are seeing is the Moon in its crescent phase with the night side of the Moon illuminated by earthshine.

Click to view full size image

Credit: NASA

In the same way as we see the Moon shine in the night because it is illuminated by sunlight, the Earth also seems to shine in space because it is illuminated by sunlight. But the Earth "shines" much more brightly than the Moon. For one thing, the Earth is larger, and for another, it is considerably more reflective.

Click to view full size image

Photo: NASA

The Earth shines brightly over the Moon, and light from the Earth illuminates the night side of the Moon. This light from the Earth on the night side of the Moon is called earthshine.

In the APOD being discussed here, we see Jupiter and its Galilean moons over the earthshine-illuminated night side of the Moon.


Ann