An astrophotographer took a beautiful picture of two planets lined up in the sky over Rome – and a little rain didn’t stop him.
Gianluca Massi spotted Venus and Jupiter hiding behind a thin cloud shortly after cutting off a planned live stream of coincidences on Sunday (May 1st) in his astronomical broadcast service, the Virtual Telescope Project.
“Fortunately, I had my imaging equipment ready to mount on a sturdy tripod when I suddenly spotted a bright planetary pair through a less dense layer of clouds,” Massi told Live Science, adding that he could see even three of the moons. of Jupiter – Europe, Ganymede and Callisto.
But a rain bonus came when he looked at the planets. “I noticed a colored crown around Venus. This is due to the diffraction of its light from individual small water droplets. So this thin cloud was valuable, “he said.
Venus (bottom left) and Jupiter during a close conjunction over Rome on May 1, 2022 (Image credit: Gianluca Massi)
Massi estimated that the two planets were approximately 21 arc minutes apart at the time of the launch, as close to each other as two-thirds of the angular size of the moon. “I used a Canon 5D mark IV + EF 70-200mm f / 2.8L IS II USM case running at 200mm-f / 2.8. I worked at 400 ISO and the exposure time was 0.8 seconds, “he said.
At the time, Massi was working from home, overlooking the chimney from his balcony in western Rome. However, he plans to go to a “scenic spot” in June, when five planets will be seen in the sky at once, to film the event live. (Of course, if the weather improves.)
“I love these natural events; they always amaze us, “said Massi. “I’m always amazed to see how many people around the world love this kind of view. I always invite them to go out and see things like that in person, but I know that for many people, my live broadcasts are the only way to see these space shows. “
Massi added that his mission is to share the beauty of the sky with those who live on the same planet as him. “This is the main idea of the virtual telescope project.”
If you’re looking for a telescope or binoculars to spot views like this, check out our guide to the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals available now. Our best astrophotography cameras and best astrophotography lenses can also help you choose the best imaging equipment.
Editor’s note: If you take an amazing photo and want to share it with Live Science readers, send your photos, comments, and your name and location to community@livescience.com.
Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace.
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