Planets on the Wing
Lately,
bright Jupiter and fainter Mars have been easy to spot for early
morning skygazers.
Before dawn
on January 7
the two naked-eye planets will reach a close
conjunction near the horizon, only 1/4 degree apart
in predawn eastern skies.
That apparent separation corresponds to about half the
angular diameter
of a Full Moon.
Just off the wing of a high-flying aircraft in this snapshot from
early morning January 5, Jupiter (left) and Mars (middle) are also
lined-up with the well-balanced
Zubenelgenubi (right),
alpha star of the constellation Libra.
Below are lights from central Europe near Prague, Czech Republic,
planet Earth.