Plan to see the “great union” of Jupiter and Saturn tonight (Sat. 21)? You can only photograph an 800-year-old event from your pocket with a cell phone.
Tonight, Jupiter and Saturn will appear so close together in the night sky that they will appear as a bright “star”. The pair come into close association once every 20 years, but tonight, the planets will be closest in the night sky in about 800 years.
This does not mean that the planets are really close in the universe, but it will Appear To stay on top of each other from our remedy point on earth.
Great Connection 2020: NASA’s instructions to see Jupiter and Saturn as ‘Christmas stars’
So, how can you photograph tonight’s “great connection”?
First, you will need to find the planets in the night sky. Jupiter and Saturn will appear as a point in the sky and will be much brighter than the other stars in the sky, so bright that you don’t have to come to a dark site to see them. Immediately after sunset, if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, you will find a pair in the south-west sky. From the Southern Hemisphere, you can find planets in the western sky.
Once you’ve zeroed in on the connection, it’s time to photograph.
Using a cell phone
If you are using your cell phone, the planets will be bright enough to be seen from your phone’s camera. To optimize your photograph, however, NASA Suggest a few tricks.
It won’t help zoom in on the planets any more, but according to NASA, it can help pop up your image in their imagery. You can also put your phone’s camera in “night mode”, which is available on some cell phone models and which automatically comes in fixed long-exposure in your images. You can hold your phone while using night mode, but if your phone is on a tripod or resting against something, it’s easier to keep it stable in this long exposure.
You could also use a wide-angle lens with your phone, which can be found in many cell phone settings. This will allow you to set the composition of your image according to a single guide and experiment with framing.
Use of DSLR
If you’re using something heavy, like a DSFR camera, NASA has shared Also a few tips for you. For one, you can set your camera’s focus to infinity in manual focus mode, which will show the planets in sharp definition. By giving as much light as possible, you can also open your hole by opening it as wide as possible. With a DSLR, you can also shorten your shutter speed if you are having trouble with instability.
The main advantage of using a camera on a cell phone is the ability to use a telephoto lens to view the planets individually and to see their unique features, if available to you. In fact, with a 200mm telephoto lens you should be able to see Jupiter’s four Galileans or even the largest moon. With a telescope or a long lens you will also be able to see Saturn’s rings and get more details in high resolution.
Tips for everyone
Whatever camera marrow you are using, it can help you use a tripod or stabilize your camera or phone against something tough. This technique can both stabilize your arm for clearer hands and allow you to take longer exposures, to help you put more light and place the planets on the center stage in your photograph, According to NASA. If you’re photographing planets with a DSLR and tripod, use a “shutter speed of up to a few seconds. The planets and stars will be hit by the Earth’s rotation,” NASA suggests in the same guide.
No matter which camera you are using to photograph the event, you will have an hour or two when the planets appear in the early evening immediately after sunset. During this time, the sky will change colors and darken. By staying out during this time, you can try to photograph the connection in different light with the sky changing, with different sunspots and capturing planets with darker skies, NASA suggests.
Also, when you are trying to capture the coincidence yourself, when you are creating planets with trees or buildings around you with the composition of your photograph, it can increase the interest in vision and perhaps emphasize the bright point of light. Outside, according to NASA.
Whatever method you are planning to view and photograph the event, keep your fingers crossed for a good climate as the clouds are witnessing a clear, bright “great connection”.
Editor’s note: If you get a stunning view of the great connection of December 21 and would like to share it with Space.com for a story or gallery, send images and comments to [email protected].
Email Chelsea Gohd at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Follow us on Twitter @speed.com and Facebook.
