PLANETS IN MORNING SKY

Date: 10 December 2006 U.T.
Time: 13:30 - 14:10 U.T.
Telescope: 80mm refractor
Magnification(s): 17x, 22x
Binoculars: 8x42
Temperature: +17 F (-8 C)

Saturn was spotted with the unaided-eye close to the waning gibbous Moon high in the morning sky.

The morning's tight grouping of Mercury, Jupiter, and Mars was spotted between pine trees low in the southeastern sky using 8x42 binoculars. Mercury was very close to and above Jupiter. The star Beta Scorpii was nearby and above Mercury. Mars was a bit more distant, off to one side. Only Mercury and Jupiter were obvious to the unaided-eye in the brightening twilight. The star and all three planets were close enough to one another to fit within the same FOV with the telescope as well as with the binoculars.

After sunrise I took a quick look at the Sun using the refractor at 22x. An objective solar filter was in place over the front of the telescope for safe viewing. A single, large sunspot was immediately obvious. It was flanked on either side by a smaller spot. Seeing conditions were too poor to justify increasing magnification or making a sketch. The main spot was large enough to be visible to the unaided-eye (protected by looking through a Sun filter).