When summer turns to fall, leaves on our planet turn color, and sister planets of our solar systems take center-stage in the night sky.
After a wonderful
sunset the other day at the Rocky Mountain National Park, Rishabh and I hung around the high perch of the Gore Range overlook at about 12000 feet for the night sky to come alive. The sky is usually crystal clear from such high elevation. However, light pollution from nearby Estes Park and distant Denver neighborhoods significantly diffuse the dark crispness near the horizon. On this particular evening, high clouds diffused out soon after sunset leaving only jets from the Denver airport to visually annoy me in the night canvas. After the astronomical sunset, Rishabh and I watched the milky way rise gloriously from its blue bath. From this elevation, its brightness was extraordinary. And then in the moonless darkness, we saw the autumnal assembly of our planets near the milky way.
To begin with, on the immediate west-northwest of the galactic center, Pluto and the ringed Saturn were close to each other near Sagittarius’ wings. Just north of the galactic center, the magnificent Jupiter could be easily spotted as a bright light. This luminous spot near the foggy center of the milky way appeared almost like a galactic lighthouse that could aid imaginary spaceships in their arduous inter-galactic journey. For most of 2019, Jupiter will remain perched within the constellation Ophiuchus – the serpent bearer. Mythology associates the snake bearer with the Greek healer god, Asclepius, who brought people back to life from the dead. In the northern hemisphere, as fall turns to winter, Ophiuchus – along with Jupiter and other planets – will switch over to the day sky, thereby remaining invisible. This was one of the last few opportunities in 2019 to catch the mighty Jupiter in Ophiuchus' cradle.
