Message-ID: <16653@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 14-Feb-84 21:40:00 EST
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.16653
Posted: Tue Feb 14 21:40:00 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 18-Feb-84 04:12:31 EST
Lines: 15

From:  Ross Finlayson 

Early this morning (3am PST), after returning from a late night hack attack,
I noticed two very bright stars/planets in the south-eastern sky. They
seemed to have the same (apparent) brightness. The objects were very close
together (slightly less than the width of my index finger at arms length);
it was this fact, along with their similar brightness, that made them
so noticeable. I couldn't find them on a star chart, so I presume that at
least one of them is a planet.

Could someone identify these? They're almost impossible to miss.

	Ross.

ps. They weren't moving, so they can't have been planes, satellites or UFOs!

Message-ID: <849@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 17-Feb-84 17:28:40 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.849
Posted: Fri Feb 17 17:28:40 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 19-Feb-84 03:08:26 EST
References: <16652@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Reply-To: lwall@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Larry Wall)
Followup-To: net.astro
Organization: System Development Corporation, Santa Monica
Lines: 8

Indeed, Mars and Saturn are both rising at about midnight, and in fact
had a conjunction on Valentine's Day (the significance of which eludes me).
The redder of the two would be Mars.

Further discussion should probably move to net.astro.

Larry Wall
{allegra,burdvax,cbosgd,hplabs,ihnp4,sdcsvax}!sdcrdcf!lwall

Message-ID: <494@ihuxs.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 20-Feb-84 18:12:22 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxs.494
Posted: Mon Feb 20 18:12:22 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 21-Feb-84 08:02:49 EST
References: <16652@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 3

They are probably Mars and Saturn. Mars is the one closer to the
horizon. Almost all of the planets are visible in the SE-sky before
sunrise.

Message-ID: <370@ihlts.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 21-Feb-84 11:21:01 EST
Article-I.D.: ihlts.370
Posted: Tue Feb 21 11:21:01 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 22-Feb-84 02:10:51 EST
References: <16652@sri-arpa.UUCP> <494@ihuxs.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 16

>>	They are probably Mars and Saturn. Mars is the one closer to the
>>	horizon. Almost all of the planets are visible in the SE-sky before
>>	sunrise.

Of course the poster meant all the planets visible to the naked eye are in
the same general region of the sky at this moment.  Mars and Saturn passed
within 48 minutes (0.8 degree) of arc about a week ago.  Look for a
yellowish Jupiter a bit to the East of Mars and Saturn (and a bit lower in
the sky), and a bright Venus to the East of Jupiter (that's left for most
of you).  Venus rises ABOUT 0500 local time, and is visible on a clear
morning until 0630 or even 0700.  Also in this region are several planets
not visible to the naked eye, including Pluto and Uranus (or is it Neptune--
or both?).  But I know Mercury isn't in this general area.  Perhaps someone
with the numbers will post them.  If you know where Libra is, you're
looking at Mars and Saturn.
	Roger Noe		ihnp4!ihlts!rjnoe