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Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Quite the celestial show. If you've been wondering what those two bright stars are, wonder no more. Venus and Jupiter are putting on a show, and if you look around 9 PM Mexico time, you'll see the crescent moon along with them.

notamiss · Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 5:04 am Post subject:

Thanks for this.

Let me recommend YourSky, http://www.fourmilab.ch/yoursky/. Fill in your coordinates and see exactly what's above you right now. You can then adjust the star map to show more or fewer stars (and other heavenly bodies; planets, galaxies, etc.) and more or fewer labels.

You can also get it as a screen saver http://www.fourmilab.ch/skyscrsv/ (for Windows). When you install it you put in your coordinates, adjust the display settings on the star map, and every time your screen saver kicks in, it shows exactly what's above you, day or night.

sweeney66 · Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 147 Location: "home"

cool, thanks.

El Gallo · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 318

Also an interesting article here (I don�t know why my hyperlink doesn�t work):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/29/AR2008112901775.html?nav=hcmodule

reddevil79 · Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 7:29 pm Post subject:

According to this map (set for DF at 9pm tonight), Pluto is nearby too, but how visible it will be I'm not sure. Pluto is the 'P' symbol in the grey circle to the right.

http://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/Yourtel?lat=20.6874&ns=South&lon=282.677&fov=45.000&z=1

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Very cool...thanks for that, will look for it tonight.

The nerd astronomer in me is coming out I'm afraid. Wink

Some city workers were planting trees near my home last night and I took some time to show them the night sky. They all thought they were simple stars and were amazed to learn about the planets visible to them. I was asked if I was an astronomer after pointing it out.

There's an American-funded observatory in Puebla state atop some mountain. What a joy it would be to get a view from there.

MO39 · Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 8:10 pm Post subject:

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

notamiss · Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:51 pm Post subject:

2009 is going to be the International Year of Astronomy, and some of the planned Mexican events are tied in with archeological sites. There is going to one at Teotihuacan sometime in January, involving camping, telescopes, special speakers, etc. I will post more information as I find out. Also this: http://dti.inah.gob.mx/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2616&Itemid=55, aparently.