APOD: Venus and Mars: Passing in the Night (2022 Mar 29)

[APOD Robot]

Venus and Mars: Passing in the Night

Explanation: When two planets pass on the night sky, they can usually be seen near each other for a week or more. In the case of this planetary conjunction, Venus and Mars passed within 4 degrees of each other earlier this month. The featured image was taken a few days prior, when Venus was slowing rising in the pre-dawn sky, night by night, while Mars was slowly setting. The image, a four-part mosaic, was captured in Brazil from the small town Teresópolis. Besides Venus and Mars, the morning sky now also includes the more distant planet Saturn. Of course, these conjunctions are only angular -- Venus, Mars, and Saturn continue to orbit the Sun in very different parts of our Solar System. Next week, the angle between Saturn and Mars will drop to below a quarter of a degree.

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[SpaceCadet]

Where is Saturn in this photo?

[alter-ego]

Where is Saturn in this photo?

The description reads: "Besides Venus and Mars, the morning sky now also includes the more distant planet Saturn"

It's not in this image. Saturn is hidden behind the landscape, or hadn't risen yet.

[XgeoX]

What’s causing the unusual spike pattern with Venus?

Eric

[De58te]

Where is Saturn in this photo?

Depends on what a few days ago means, but Saturn according to Stellarium app, about 5 days ago was behind the hill on the left, slightly below and to the left of where the arrow is in Venus' orbit when you hover the mouse over the photo.

[Ann]

What’s causing the unusual spike pattern with Venus?

Eric

There are spikes surrounding Mars, too, but they are very faint. Basically, it is the brightness of Venus that makes the spikes around it so prominent. I believe that the brightness difference between Venus and Mars in this image is some ~5 magnitudes. That's a lot.

Consider the recent James Webb Space Telescope image of a Milky Way star and background galaxies:

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The spikes around the star are reflections of inner structures in the telescope or camera. There really are spikes around the galaxies too, but they are below the noise level in this image.

Ann

[orin stepanek]

beautiful photo of Venus and Mars! Love vs War!

planetary conjunction!

Now listen everybody!

[Fred the Cat]

Conjunction also visible this morning

with a "toenail" moon rising a bit later over Lucky Peak.

[Chris Peterson]

What’s causing the unusual spike pattern with Venus?

The image was made with a lens having an 8-vane iris, which produces 8 diffraction spikes.

[johnnydeep]

So, per the 'conjunction' links in the description, a conjunction is when two bodies have the same right ascension (to within some maximum I presume).
And an appulse is when two bodies are "close" in general.
Is there a term for when two bodies have the same declination?

[rwlott]

Several of you have asked about Neuffer. Sadly, I have this to share. It was posted by his son in the Shakespeare Google Group earlier this month on March 4:

Hi all,

I wanted to let you know that my dad Art Neuendorffer died peacefully this afternoon after his health quickly deteriorated last week.
His passion for Shakespeare, et cetera, filled much of his time in retirement and he greatly appreciated this group. Whether you found his ideas intriguing or bizarre, you formed a good part of what I think of as my dad's own little secret society. Please pass the news in other groups that have appreciated his wit, puzzling, and reflections.

Rest assured that although his BONES will remain here, he will EVER live in our memory. Of course, his actual resting place will only be found by heroically solving a sequence of increasingly challenging hidden puzzles, navigating ingeniously laid traps, and perhaps outwitting a conspiracy or two along the way!

The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

Stephen Neuendorffer

[XgeoX]

Several of you have asked about Neuffer. Sadly, I have this to share. It was posted by his son in the Shakespeare Google Group earlier this month on March 4:

Hi all,

I wanted to let you know that my dad Art Neuendorffer died peacefully this afternoon after his health quickly deteriorated last week.
His passion for Shakespeare, et cetera, filled much of his time in retirement and he greatly appreciated this group. Whether you found his ideas intriguing or bizarre, you formed a good part of what I think of as my dad's own little secret society. Please pass the news in other groups that have appreciated his wit, puzzling, and reflections.

Rest assured that although his BONES will remain here, he will EVER live in our memory. Of course, his actual resting place will only be found by heroically solving a sequence of increasingly challenging hidden puzzles, navigating ingeniously laid traps, and perhaps outwitting a conspiracy or two along the way!

The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

Stephen Neuendorffer

Lord what horrible sad news. I am so sorry for his son’s loss. I always enjoyed his posts and the effort he put in to them. He will be missed.
God bless.

Eric George

[Ann]

Several of you have asked about Neuffer. Sadly, I have this to share. It was posted by his son in the Shakespeare Google Group earlier this month on March 4:

Hi all,

I wanted to let you know that my dad Art Neuendorffer died peacefully this afternoon after his health quickly deteriorated last week.
His passion for Shakespeare, et cetera, filled much of his time in retirement and he greatly appreciated this group. Whether you found his ideas intriguing or bizarre, you formed a good part of what I think of as my dad's own little secret society. Please pass the news in other groups that have appreciated his wit, puzzling, and reflections.

Rest assured that although his BONES will remain here, he will EVER live in our memory. Of course, his actual resting place will only be found by heroically solving a sequence of increasingly challenging hidden puzzles, navigating ingeniously laid traps, and perhaps outwitting a conspiracy or two along the way!

The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

Stephen Neuendorffer

I'm shocked and very, very sorry to hear this. I almost can't believe it. I'm so sorry.

Art seemed so alive and lively in his posts, as his mind roamed so freely and covered so many topics. He contributed enormously to this forum.

My condolences to Neuffer's family.

Ann

[orin stepanek]

May his spirit rest! Art gave valuable incite to this forum!

[johnnydeep]

Several of you have asked about Neuffer. Sadly, I have this to share. It was posted by his son in the Shakespeare Google Group earlier this month on March 4:

Hi all,

I wanted to let you know that my dad Art Neuendorffer died peacefully this afternoon after his health quickly deteriorated last week.
His passion for Shakespeare, et cetera, filled much of his time in retirement and he greatly appreciated this group. Whether you found his ideas intriguing or bizarre, you formed a good part of what I think of as my dad's own little secret society. Please pass the news in other groups that have appreciated his wit, puzzling, and reflections.

Rest assured that although his BONES will remain here, he will EVER live in our memory. Of course, his actual resting place will only be found by heroically solving a sequence of increasingly challenging hidden puzzles, navigating ingeniously laid traps, and perhaps outwitting a conspiracy or two along the way!

The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

Stephen Neuendorffer

Oh man, I am unbelievably sad. Actual tears. I really enjoyed Art's always intriguing posts for the two years I've been a daily reader and poster here. I will really really miss him!

[alter-ego]

Within the last few years, Art had taken a lengthy hiatus and I grew concerned. After a number of weeks, he reappeared to the forum. I was happy and relieved. This time I grew concerned again, and my heart sank after reading rwlott's post. I will forever remember the day Art passed - March 4 is my birthday. I will always take a moment to remember his wit, insight into many diverse topics, and the occasional creative sarcasm Some number of years ago, I believe Art posted a picture of a stately looking man sitting at tripod-mounted refractor telescope. I'm not sure who that person was or if he was mentioned. I probably forgot... I maybe embellished his description, but I've always pictured Art as being that man.

No doubt Art will be missed.

Thank you, rwlott for sharing Stephen's letter about his Dad.

[Chris Peterson]

Within the last few years, Art had taken a lengthy hiatus and I grew concerned. After a number of weeks, he reappeared to the forum. I was happy and relieved. This time I grew concerned again, and my heart sank after reading rwlott's post. I will forever remember the day Art passed - March 4 is my birthday. I will always take a moment to remember his wit, insight into many diverse topics, and the occasional creative sarcasm :) Some number of years ago, I believe Art posted a picture of a stately looking man sitting at tripod-mounted refractor telescope. I'm not sure who that person was or if he was mentioned. I probably forgot... I maybe embellished his description, but I've always pictured Art as being that man.

No doubt Art will be missed.

Thank you, rwlott for sharing Stephen's letter about his Dad.

_

[johnnydeep]

Within the last few years, Art had taken a lengthy hiatus and I grew concerned. After a number of weeks, he reappeared to the forum. I was happy and relieved. This time I grew concerned again, and my heart sank after reading rwlott's post. I will forever remember the day Art passed - March 4 is my birthday. I will always take a moment to remember his wit, insight into many diverse topics, and the occasional creative sarcasm Some number of years ago, I believe Art posted a picture of a stately looking man sitting at tripod-mounted refractor telescope. I'm not sure who that person was or if he was mentioned. I probably forgot... I maybe embellished his description, but I've always pictured Art as being that man.

No doubt Art will be missed.

Thank you, rwlott for sharing Stephen's letter about his Dad.

_
321927_119138624861442_550098014_o.jpg

Nice. Great pic! That's a pretty high end pair of binos he has there. Seems like maybe an older version of these?:

https://www.opticsplanet.com/barska-wav ... 10520.html

Barska Encounter Jumbo 20-40x100mm Porro Prism Binoculars

---

[ddorn777]

Thanks for passing on the sad news of his passing. One of the greats has gone home to the stars, though a part of him will remain.

[Fred the Cat]

Since January 21^st, 2008, Art contributed 18,805 glimpses into his personality and wit. That is no small amount. Thanks to this thing called the internet, we all have the ability to randomly revisit the man anytime we choose or happen upon an old post. To me it’s like he’ll always be here despite no longer adding to that vast body of thoughts and comments. I will miss his absence, ever wondering how he might interpret some thought I decide to post, but be glad I discovered this forum to “meet” a person I would never have gotten the chance to know.

I choose to think he is now a permanent resident on Tralfamadore; living happily in the bubbles of this life.

[RJN]

I am sad to hear of his passing.

[johnnydeep]

Since January 21^st, 2008, Art contributed 18,805 glimpses into his personality and wit. That is no small amount. Thanks to this thing called the internet, we all have the ability to randomly revisit the man anytime we choose or happen upon an old post. To me it’s like he’ll always be here despite no longer adding to that vast body of thoughts and comments. I will miss his absence, ever wondering how he might interpret some thought I decide to post, but be glad I discovered this forum to “meet” a person I would never have gotten the chance to know.

I choose to think he is now a permanent resident on Tralfamadore; living happily in the bubbles of this life.

And checking Art's profile, he contributed an impressive fraction of all posts here!

Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 8:57 am
Last active: Tue Mar 01, 2022 9:38 pm
Total posts: 18805 (7.83% of all posts / 3.63 posts per day)

[alter-ego]

Within the last few years, Art had taken a lengthy hiatus and I grew concerned. After a number of weeks, he reappeared to the forum. I was happy and relieved. This time I grew concerned again, and my heart sank after reading rwlott's post. I will forever remember the day Art passed - March 4 is my birthday. I will always take a moment to remember his wit, insight into many diverse topics, and the occasional creative sarcasm Some number of years ago, I believe Art posted a picture of a stately looking man sitting at tripod-mounted refractor telescope. I'm not sure who that person was or if he was mentioned. I probably forgot... I maybe embellished his description, but I've always pictured Art as being that man.

No doubt Art will be missed.

Thank you, rwlott for sharing Stephen's letter about his Dad.

_
321927_119138624861442_550098014_o.jpg

Thank you for finding and posting the picture of Art.

[Ann]

NASA's rover Opportunity's journey to and on Mars: 2003-2018

Art's journey to heaven and Earth on spaceship Starship Asterisk*: 2008-2022


In the end all our batteries get low, and it will be getting dark.

Ann