Bright object in south on December evenings? It’s the planet Jupiter

[Renew Deal]

I was looking out my window and saw a very bright "star" to my southeast (I'm in NY). It turns out it's Jupiter. Pretty impressive.



http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/bright-star-might-be-planet-jupiter-nearly-closest-since-1963

[denbot]

1. The pictures are showing moons and all.

Did you take this picture yourself?

[pokerfan]

2. Did you mean southwest?

I'm asking because Jupiter is already due south around dusk these days. After that, it's more west than east eventually setting in the west around midnight. If southeast wasn't a typo, then is it possible that you saw http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirius">Sirius?

Here's a Stellarium sceengrab of the southern sky around 9 pm:

[Odin2005]

3. You just noticed it? it's been obvious for a few months.

Then again I should not expect too much from you city folks, you can't see much in the city. :P

I know the night sky like the back of my hand, growing up it was normal to walk outside on a cold winter night and see the Milky Way.

[pitohui]

4. absolutely gorgeous what a nice photo

looks more like jupiter from rural bolivia than new york! i have wondered if there is a way to photograph this view of jupiter from my binoculars, or maybe this photo used a low power telescope but it's similar to the view i have had in my binoculars, at times you have been able to see 3 or even all 4 of the major moons showing perfectly

absolutely gorgeous, words really don't describe the nice show jupiter has been putting on for awhile

[gratuitous]

5. Yeah right; "Jupiter"

That's just what "they" want you to think. But keep scanning the skies, good citizen! YOU are our distant early warning system.

[UrbScotty]

6. Where's Uranus? (nt)

[Lucian]

7. You can see all four Galilean moons in that photo.

Awesome. :thumbsup: