Observation by Pete Lawrence: The Christmas Conjunction

Uploaded by

Paul Downing

Observer

Pete Lawrence

Observed

2020 Dec 20 - 16:35

Uploaded

2020 Dec 22 - 14:13

Objects

Jupiter
Saturn

Equipment

Canon 6D DSLR and Celestron 14" SCT scope

Location

Thornton, Leicestershire, UK

Target name

2020 Conjunction

Title

The Christmas Conjunction

About this image

Here is the 2020 version of the "Christmas Star".

In Pete's words: "Jupiter and Saturn approaching Great Conjunction. This image was taken approximately 24 hours before the appulse of Jupiter and Saturn on 21 December 2020 – image date 20 December 2020. A glorious evening’s view of the two planets just 9.5 arcminutes apart. Easily split with the naked eye, it was also possible to view both worlds through the eyepiece of a telescope in the same field of view as tangible discs; quite a sight!

Image is a composite of two separate RGB sequences for the planetary discs, combined with an over-exposed field shot to reveal the moons. A C14 was used, along with an ASI 174MM planetary camera. A 0.63 focal reducer had to be employed to get everything on a single chip (just!). Image was taken from Thornton, Leicestershire from a location with a very flat, zero-degree horizon. This allowed the planets to be followed almost to setting, fading out a few minutes before reaching the horizon due to haze."

Files associated with this observation

wk52_20_Jup-Sat_lawrence.jpg (412.3 kB)

Like this image

Alan C Tough, Chris Dole, Gary Poyner, Martina McGovern, Manolo_Rodriguez, Jeremy Shears, Gordon Mackie

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