<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">A unique Galileo Moment. Some keen sky observers may be interested in this event , especially if you have a good pair of Binoculars and/or a small telescope, or better. You may or may not think it's worth the early morning hour (about 4 a.m.). </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The window of opportunity depends upon a clear eastern sky and is wedged between Jupiter and Neptune being high enough above the southeastern horizon and the brightening twilight still fairly dark. The dim light of Neptune is the limiting factor (magnitude 7.9). Under good conditions, Neptune can be seen in binoculars if one knows the reasonably detailed star pattern it is in. Being less than 30' min. arc, one Moon diameter, from Jupiter (about 24 minutes of arc), makes it easier to locate. There is a chance that it may still be clear enough at 4:00 a.m. tomorrow May 27th) to make this observation.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Jupiter was making a similarly close alignment with Neptune in 1612-1613 when Galileo was tracking Jupiter's moons. He did not realize that in some of his diagrams, he had recorded a planet whose existence had not yet been recognized. It was to be another 234 years (1864) before Neptune would be officially discovered. </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">I f the sky co-operates, here is a chance to log a super <a href="http://www.astronomy2009.ca/">Galileo moment</a>. < <a href="http://www.astronomy2009.ca/">http://www.astronomy2009.ca/</a> ></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">At my website I have placed more information and some finser diagrams.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">My planet current location page </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">< <a href="http://web.mac.com/sherm39/iWeb/Site/planets_what_where.html">http://web.mac.com/sherm39/iWeb/Site/planets_what_where.html</a> ></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">My main home page (unfortunately a bit slow for dialups)</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">< <a href="http://web.mac.com/sherm39/iWeb/Site/home_page_nuv.html">http://web.mac.com/sherm39/iWeb/Site/home_page_nuv.html</a> ></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">I'll report how I make out tomorrow morning. I'd love to know about any other successes.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Sherman</div> </body></html>