Possumblog

Mysterious lights in the sky?

No, at least not according to our very own Jack Horkheimer wannabe, Steevil, who sends along yet ANOTHER interesting news story about a planetary sight not seen since The Battle of the Mules.

Planetary treat awaits sky gazers

By Joe Bauman
Deseret Morning News

Rise before dawn on Sunday, prepare a thermos of hot cocoa, bundle up, drive to some spot where mountains don't obstruct the eastern horizon — and watch an astronomical grouping not seen since the Civil War.

As the Denver Astronomical Society points out, before dawn the planets Mars, Mercury and Jupiter will be grouped within a 1 degree circle. Mercury, the smallest planet, will seem only 0.1 degree from Jupiter, the largest, the society adds on its Web site, www.denverastrosociety.org/events.html.

"Literally, they're going to appear so close together that even with a pair of binoculars, which shows you only a small corner of sky, you'll see three planets in the field of view," said Patrick Wiggins, NASA solar system ambassador to Utah and northern Nevada.

Literally.

[...] He said they should rise in the southeast around 7 a.m., and will be easiest to see as they rise. Once dawn is in full throttle, the brightening sky will wash out the view of the planets.

The best place to observe them is a location with a low, flat eastern horizon clear of trees, buildings and other obstructions, he said. Nobody alive has seen these three planets so close together, Wiggins said.

Wiggins said Mars may be difficult to see with the naked eye "because it's not that bright" [...]

After a firestorm of controversy, Wiggins later stated that he had in no way intended to impugn Mars, and had merely botched a joke about President Bush.

ANYway, if you like getting up and looking up in the sky, this sounds like something you'd like to do. And since sky is very large, even people outside of Denver should be able to see this peculiar alignment as well.

Posted by Terry Oglesby at December 8, 2006 02:39 PM