A Conjunction with Some History

Conjunction of the Moon, Jupiter and Aldebaran
Conjunction of the Moon, Jupiter and Aldebaran

At the last day of October I sketched a beautiful conjunction between the Moon, Jupiter and Aldebaran. The building in the foreground was my holiday-resort (illuminated by a streetlight), a renovated farm from 1669. By chance: in the first months of 1669 Jupiter was also next to Aldebaran in the sky. So the first inhabitants could have witnessed a similar conjunction. To add some more history: the location was less than 10 km from Middelburg, the town where the telescope was invented!

Clear skies

Jef De Wit

Location: Biggekerke, Netherlands (51°29’ N 3°31’ E)
Date and time: 31 October 2012 around 19.30 UT
Equipment: naked eye
Medium: pastel pencils and soft pastels on black paper (A4), Jupiter and Aldebaran were brightened with Paint

3 thoughts on “A Conjunction with Some History”

  1. Jef,

    It is nice to see this fine sketch here to be appreciated by a larger audience.

    Frank 🙂

  2. Now Jef, that’s what I call a masterpiece. If I had your talent I would frame this outstanding pastelwork.

    An the history that goes with it is very nice indeed!

    Jean

  3. Hi Jef

    Nice pastel and lovely atmosphere.
    I know this area, between VeerseMeer and the North Sea, not so easy there to have a clear sky!
    I regularly look at your work (and this one of JeanB…) on CloudyNights, it’s always a piece of peace…

    Michel

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