Seeing the 6th planet from the Sun, Uranus.

 If you have not seen the planet Uranus, then you will have a simple task to see this January 20th. Look in the space (sorry about the pun) between the crescent Moon and Mars. You will need some good binoculars or a small spotting scope or a telescope.  About 2 degrees below Mars (width of your pinky) in a scope or binoculars look for the BLUEISH  star like object about equal distance from the Red Planet and waxing crescent Moon. In the scope it will not twinkle as much as a star. 

****NOTE: 
Well the week,according to weather forecasts, is filled with cloudy weather, thunderstorms and rain. Sorry the 20th is a wet, no go for this event.****

JUPITER SATURN CONJUNCTION 21 DECEMBER 2020

Photos of the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn from the Mineola Nature Preserve in Mineola Texas.  The one above is from a 35mm DSLR  with a 200mm Canon Lens on a Canon 40D.

 The one above is with a 8" Celectron SCT with camera attached to eyepiece. Saturn is at the top of the photo and Jupiter in the lower left. Note: There are four of Jupiter's moons in a row running from the left of the photo through Jupiter and extending to the lower left third of the photo.

PARTIAL LUNAR ECLIPSE IS VISIBLE IN EAST TEXAS

 On Monday Morning, 30 November 2020 there will be a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse that is visible in East Texas. The Moon will move into the Earth’s outer shadow about 1:32 AM CST that morning. Then at 3:44 AM the eclipse will reach it’s maximum. The eclipse will continue until 5:53 AM as the Moon departs Earth’s shadow. The Moon will be just to the west of overhead at the start of the eclipse and just above the horizon at the end. This is what it looks like below.

RARE CONJUNCTION OF JUPITER AND SATURN

 A very rare conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn will occur on the night of December 21th about 5pm on. They will be 6 arc minutes apart. With a 15mm eye piece and 8" scope, you can see both in the FOV.

 

Perseids, Planets and Milky Way at Mineola Nature Preserve.

While chasing Perseid Meteors at the Mineola Nature Preserve, during breaks I photographed other objects.

 Jupiter (RT) and Saturn near Sagittarius-to the right (note the Tea Pot asterism in the center) and a "crawling" Scorpius (to right) as opposed to the "standing" position it is in early evening.

Milky Way to left of Sagittarius (Looking at the galaxy's center where a massive Black Hole exists.

 A rising Mars (moderate magnification).

A Waning Crescent Moon.

 

 

 

 

And at last is a Perseid below Cassiopeia (M on it's side.).

COMET NEOWISE BECOMES OBLITERATED BY THE WAXING MOON / LAST LOOK AT THE NUCLEUS

As the Moon waxes in brightness, it obliterated the tail of Comet Neowise and the Comet fades into darkness. The first image in a mid-angle view of the comet below the Big Dipper asterism in the constellation URSA MAJOR. The nucleus in at the bottom of the frame and the tail toward the top away from the the Sun. The second image is at a higher focal length for a close up view.

COMET NEOWISE PHOTOGRAPH IN THE "TRIPLE PLAY"

Lisa Moss of Hawkins captured the Comet NEOWISE, recently, along with the aster-ism Big Dipper in the constellation URSA MAJOR and a meteor in the same shot. The Little Dipper with Polaris on the end, can be seen in the upper right above the meteor.