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attention skygazers

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For the next several days, all five of the planets visible to the unaided eye
may be viewed at the same time in the morning twilight.  This somewhat rare
happenstance has no astronomical or astrological significance.

As usual, Mercury is the sticky wicket.  This elongation is not particulary
favorable for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere, so success in spotting
it will require an unobstructed view of the Southeastern horizen.  (Note
that if I have my spacial geometry correct, it *is* a favorable elongation
for viewers in the Southern Hemisphere.)

For mid-temperate latitude viewers in the Northern Hemisphere, at approximately
an hour and fifteen minutes before sunrise, bright Jupiter will be high in the
sky toward the West-Southwest.  Almost due South, and not quite halfway
up the sky to the zenith, reddish Mars is alone in a dim star field.  Further
towards the Southeast, and lower in the sky, is yellowish Saturn.  Do not
mistake it for nearby Antares, a red star of comparable magnitude to the
lower right of Saturn.  Further to the east and lower still, brilliant Venus
will be unmistakable.  A bit more to the east and lower yet is Mercury.
Mercury is quite bright, outshone only by Venus and Jupiter, but its proximity
to the sun means it is often lost in the sun's glare.  By the time Mercury
rises high enough in the sky to clear the atmospheric haze near the horizon,
its contrast against the brightening dawn is starting to diminish.  Binoculars
can be helpful to spot it at first, then find it with your eyes relative to some
landmark.

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attention skygazers bleep@compy.0-0 (Colonel Bleep) - 2016-01-29 07:44 +0000
  Re: attention skygazers bleep@compy.0-0 (Colonel Bleep) - 2016-01-29 07:51 +0000
    Re: attention skygazers Morten Reistad <first@last.name.invalid> - 2016-01-29 09:23 +0100
      Re: attention skygazers bleep@compy.0-0 (Colonel Bleep) - 2016-01-30 07:03 +0000
        Re: attention skygazers Lawrence Statton <lawrence@senguio.mx> - 2016-01-30 09:25 -0600
          Re: attention skygazers Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2016-01-30 22:00 +0000
            Re: attention skygazers bleep@compy.0-0 (Colonel Bleep) - 2016-01-31 10:38 +0000
    Re: attention skygazers mausg@mail.com - 2016-01-29 10:33 +0000
      Re: attention skygazers Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> - 2016-01-29 11:46 +0000
        Re: attention skygazers mausg@mail.com - 2016-01-29 14:59 +0000
          Re: attention skygazers Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> - 2016-01-29 16:39 +0000
    Re: attention skygazers JimP <solosam90@gmail.com> - 2016-01-29 16:33 -0600

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