March 7, 2012
The universe does not repeat itself. Every sunrise is unique, every snowflake singular, and every birthday yours alone.
Conjunction Over Reunion Island
Birthday · March 7, 2012
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APOD published March 7, 2012. Credit: Luc Perrot. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
You don't have to be on Reunion Island to see this week's planetary conjunction. Only if you want to see this picturesque seascape as well. To see the conjunction from just about anywhere in the world, look to the west after sunset. The first planet you may notice is Venus, the brightest object in the western sky. Above Venus, the second brightest object is Jupiter. The hardest planet to spot is Mercury, which is visible only briefly after sunset as a faint dot just above the horizon. Picturesque rocks leading out from Reunion Island to the Indian Ocean populate the foreground of the above picture. Taken last week, the distant planets Venus and Jupiter were joined by a bright crescent Moon, which has now moved away. Students (of all ages): See free astronomy lectures online
Image credit: Luc Perrot