The night sky on December 29, 2022

I am once again extending my break from our South Island Tour posts.  I want to publish this one today before it gets too old.  

It's December 29, 2022 and I'm thinking of my family.  I think that tonight I'll spend some time recording the night sky and share it.  

I was walking through the Mews and noticed the early evening sun on the African Garden and Fernery.  We're looking roughly East here.  

Now we're looking west.  The Corbans were an early wine-making extended family.  

I'm at the tables between the petanque court and the croquet area at about 9:30.  Jupiter is close to the Moon tonight.  I'm pleased.  I'll try again to get them together in a picture.  

There is trouble as usual with the humidity. It's at 83% tonight and you readily see the effect it has on the pictures.  

Hmmm, I don't have Jupiter's moons yet.  I'll keep trying.

But first, let's look at the moon. This shot is not bad. 

And now, I'll show you Jupiter

I call that arrangement of  Jupiter and its moons its 'Steve Martin banjo' configuration.

I don't know if you knew the album, Pictures at an Exhibition (1971), by Emerson, Lake and Palmer, but I did. And enjoyed it.  

However, the origin of that music (written in1874) is from M. Mussorgsky, a Russian composer. I found that the opening fanfare, I think you call it, was going through my head for some reason recently, so I looked it up on YouTube and watched the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra perform it. It's impressive. (If you're interested:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwJMpQiqCm4  )

When I look at this picture, I like to think of the final moments of that piece. The crescendo with cymbals, kettle drums, and the entire orchestra playing like their lives depended on it. 

It's not the greatest picture in the world, but the more I look at it, the more I like it.  Jeanne was complimentary about it too. I do like the explosion of color. The problem with humidity transformed it into something unique.  

And I also like that you can see some stars near the Moon.  One is very close, at about 11 o'clock.  Did you spot it?  

I also turned my camera about 90 degrees and took this next picture.  

It starts with Mars low on the left. Then an upside-down (as viewed from the Northern Hemisphere, that is) Orion in the center of the picture. On the right, that brightest star is Sirius.  

I was hoping that if I came out again tonight, the 30th, because of the way the Moon moves, it might appear even closer to Jupiter. It would be on Jupiter's other side of course.   

I discovered however, that the Moon moved much more than I thought it would and was further away from Jupiter than last night. So much for my plan of producing a picture with the Moon and Jupiter closer and larger than ever.  The pictures below were taken on 12/30/22.  

 

The moons have moved significantly and only three are visible.  

Sorry that the moons are so pixilated.  

Finally, here is Mars, as close as I could get it.  

I can't see the moons around Mars.  They're just too tiny.

I hope that you have enjoyed these.  I get enormous satisfaction from taking my shots back to the computer and looking at what I've just captured. And even more enjoyment when I can choose the best and show them to all of you.  

And to my family, I love you all.    -djf