Nevertheless, planet Nibiru is spectacular to watch – here is an impressive image taken on October 01, 2010, using diamond magnetized clear telescope lenses.

Check out the amazing video here:

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Jupiter is a spectacular planet when seen in a telescope, sporting two prominent cloud bands and its Great Red Spot, a cyclonic storm system three times the size of Earth that has blown across Jupiter for over 300 years. Glistening like diamonds, the four largest satellites orbit the planet in a matter of days in a never-ending dance. And, because we see those satellites edge-on, they alternately sail across Jupiter’s face, throwing dark shadows onto Jupiter’s clouds, or get eclipsed by Jupiter itself when they go behind the planet.

Back in 1994, an incredible spectacle unfolded in that part of the solar system. An inbound comet was torn apart by Jupiter’s immense gravitational pull. 20 fragments separated into a line of beads, each with its own cometary tail. While that in itself was spectacular, Jupiter wasn’t finished with the comet. The immense planet pulled the comet in, and all 20 fragments plummeted into Jupiter’s atmosphere and detonated in the biggest explosions seen in recorded history. And they left their mark. Visible for weeks afterward, the dark impact blotches were visible in backyard telescopes. That one event gave nations across the world pause for thought. What if such en event had happened to Earth instead of Jupiter? In all probability, it would have been an extinction level event.

So it’s fair to say that Jupiter and its environs is one pretty interesting place. But knowing what to look for, and when, is key to making the most of any Jovian observing experience.

And that’s what Jupsat Pro does for you. It models the positions of Jupiter’s four largest satellites so you’ll always know where they are in relation to Jupiter and each other. It’ll also tell you when the satellites cross in front of Jupiter, when the satellite shadows cross the planet and when the satellites are hidden behind Jupiter. A satellite track diagram shows how the satellites interact over the course of a month. And you can animate the Jovian system forwards and backwards so you can see how everything interacts (you can even set the speed).

People like looking at the Great Red Spot, especially when you consider its size. Jupsat Pro calculates when the Spot crosses the center of Jupiter (the best observing opportunity) and produces a table of times for the month you’re interested in. And when you animate the display, the Great Red Spot is also shown rotating on Jupiter.

It should be mentioned that Jupsat Pro shows data for the time and date you select or when an animation is running. You can even zoom in and out to get the best view of what’s happening. Satellite information is color-coded so you can easily see when satellites are crossing in front of or behind Jupiter. If you want close-up views of the Jupiter or its satellites, you can have them too.

Not all telescopes are the same and so they don’t all show the same view. Some flip the view left to right; some upside down; and others still, a combination of both. Whatever telescope you have access to, Jupsat Pro will simulate the view through that ‘scope. It makes everything so much easier.

Knowing when Jupiter is up in the sky is also important. And Jupsat Pro will tell you that if you tell it where you live.

So is that everything in Jupsat Pro? No, not quite. You can watch NASA TV live from within the software (but you do need to be online!). Or you can download all the latest news about Jupiter and general astronomy news as well. There are many links to Jupiter-related sites and resources online, for example NASA’s PhotoJournal compiled from the various space probes sent to or past Jupiter, or how to pick up radio signals from Jupiter.

All in all, there’s no better astronomy software package purely dedicated to the largest planet in the Solar System. Start exploring the dynamic worlds of Jupiter and its amazing satellites.

Gary Nugent has been creating astronomy software applications for over 10 years and has run the popular Night Sky Observer website during that time.

For more information about Jupsat Pro, click here.

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The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has discovered an extrasolar planet, for the first time using direct visible-light imaging. The strange world is far-flung from its parent star, is surrounded by a colossal belt of gas and dust, and may even have rings more impressive than Saturn’s.

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Astronomy is a fun hobby in which numerous enthusiasts just enjoy looking up at the sky. But if you are more serious than that, then you will need to pick out a telescope. Books and magazines about amateur astronomy are written which can be a good root of information. Some of the additional popular magazines are Astronomy Magazine, Astronomy Now, and Popular Astronomy. You will find clearly written, authoritative, and scientifically sound articles that will cover both science and hobby activities in amateur astronomy. But you will need a reliable astronomy telescope to enjoy the fascinating hobby of star gazing. The professionally made telescope had become a big part of the hobby. Interestingly, some people even focus on amateur telescope making as their primary interest within the hobby of amateur astronomy.

In addition to books and magazines, you will be able to get acceptable advice at a local retailer that sells telescopes. Beware, however, that the thoughts you get at a retailer will be biased towards the products and brands that they carry. Another interesting thought is the astronomy club in your local space. Membership is usually open to all those interested in pursuing astronomy as a hobby. They are the best opportunity for people new to the hobby of Amateur Astronomy to ask questions.

Numerous regional star parties are now held by the local clubs and are an essential part of the hobby of amateur astronomy. And for a fledgling beginner to this fascinating hobby of amateur astronomy, there are countless beautiful objects to “discover” for the first time. And, since the hobby of amateur astronomy is one of sharing views with friends and strangers, you are sure to meet numerous new friends who will share your passion and curiosity.

Fortunately the organizations that have formed around amateur astronomy are truly outstanding and helpful. Because of this, the lines between professional and amateur astronomy are slowing blurring. You’ll be surprised how much useful data there is among the members of your local club. Since viewing of stars and other heavenly bodies is adversely affected by light pollution, clubs will also know the best places from which to enjoy your hobby.

For many “astronomers,” the mysteries of the heavens is what draws them to this hobby. Many enthusiasts acclaim that the hobby of amateur astronomy adds a sense of order as well as one of anticipation to life. Is this overly dramatic? Perhaps, but if you have any curiosity at all in the fascinating hobby of astronomy, join an astronomy club, get some magazines and books, and talk to some retailers about how best to approach this bang-up activity. You’ll be glad you did.

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In the video narration, I round that value up to 47 billion light years.

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We can’t; that’s why astronomy remains so completely fascinating. It’s the things in life we do not understand that most often draw our interest; that’s simply a natural human impulse — to be curious, to wonder and to want to be in awe of something far beyond and outside ourselves.

We know that stars, like everything else, live and die and that there are scientifically “correct” patterns in the remote sky that both perplex and bewitch us. If astronomy fascinates, it is because there exists in everyone a profound empathy with a world that is inaccessible in its complexity. Who among us has not felt, even fleetingly, spellbound by the immensity of this cosmos, this universe?

Modern observatories regularly function as educational centers, providing this feeling of entrancement by presenting the wonder of the cosmos directly to the audience, short-circuiting the intellect for an hour or so and uncovering the wonder at the magic of theuniverse; promoting a sensory, visceral feeling for the human condition and its place in the great book of the cosmos.

Astronomy, the science of stars, planets, galaxies, and black holes, is the oldest science, yet it is the most intriguing because the study of the universe will help answer the most important questions human beings can ask, such as:

How did the universe begin?

What is the structure of the universe?

How will the universe change in the future?

How do the planet Earth and its inhabitants fit into the larger universe of space and time?

Though we may never know the answers to these kinds of questions in our lifetime, we’re always thankful for those who will follow us, prepared, with a scientific brain, to one day provide answers — and maybe more — to humankind.

It’s difficult to understand our own galaxy, and we’re constantly “adding to it,” or discovering new frontiers and small, more distant planets than those we’re already familiar with. The sun, and the concept of the planets just in our galaxy alone, provoke wonder and all kinds of speculation. It’s food for our brain; it’s one of those applications of learning that so enthrall, it doesn’t seem like we’re “studying” anything. It’s an effortless exercise in the Unknown Sphere of the Universe.

What better way to pass the time, to postulate upon, to have an intellectually stimulating discussion, maybe with people you don’t even know yet?

And what about the theories of particle physics that have been developed in conjunction with the standard Big Bang model to explain the origin, evolution and
present structure of the universe?

What about the origins, evolution, interiors, and energy production of the stars themselves? How are they formed? Why? And we’ve all heard of “interacting galaxies,” but just what, exactly, does it mean? It all sounds like, well, a kind of heaven — a place we know exists, but that we cannot quite see or understand.

Then, there’s Newton’s laws, the concept of work and energy, momentum, gravitation, sound and light waves.

If you haven’t felt a slight thrill yet, it’s either because you already know about these atmospheric wonders, or you’ve been living under a local rock.

So get out there and Observe the Universe! It’s absolutely spellbinding!

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