Six planets in one line?

✪ Reality of "Planet parade"
✪ How and where we can observe the planets
✪ Bright Venus visible after Sunset
✪ Venus, Saturn and bright Jupiter can be easily observed
✪ Next two- three days excellent sky
✪ Clear blue- Why sky is blue?
✪ Lunar eclipse on 3 March, but it will be closing at Moonrise
✪ Pythagoras theorem and observation of a Tamil Mathematician

Hello. Since last few days posts of “planet parade” are circulating! We will discuss about current positions and visibility of the planets. But take a pause and think a bit! What will happen if six planets including Earth come in a line? Let’s think scientifically! If we visualize a bit, we will realize that in such a situation Mercury and Venus would not be observable from Earth as they will be in the direction of the Sun and will be lost in its glow. If this happens, then Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and other planets would be in an opposite direction of the Sun and they all would rise at the time of Sunset. But this is not the situation we have in the sky! That means all planets are not in one line for sure! But these posts have one meaning. Except for Mars, six planets are technically visible after the Sunset. They are not in one line, but they are visible in the evening.

   

Faint milky way band captured in city lights!

Experiencing Kumaon Himalaya 6: Trekking in Munsyari and thrilling jeep journey

✪  Beautiful trek on a village trail
✪  Mountain- lifestyle making people strong
✪  Simple people supporting each other
✪  Amazing views of Himalaya!
✪  Golden evening at Satgarh

Dawn of 9th December! Last sky watching session at Munsyari! Enjoyed the sky till last moment. Enjoyed the shining Pancha Chuli peaks in the Moonlight. Also enjoyed the cold weather! Packed the telescope after it was daylight. Left for the village trail after first round of tea. Feeling very blissful in the soft sunlight of the morning. Yesterday I had walked to one nice place in the town and now will explore it further 

(Here you can listen my article in audio format.)

Himalayan views with a beautiful song can be seen here.

Munsyari town! It is a block headquarter and almost the largest town in north side of Pithauragarh district. Many women are walking on the road along with a cylinder on their shoulders. So many, that I felt that this may be the only day of the month for getting the cylinders. And here there are no auto rikshaws, so they may be carrying it themselves. Later on I came to know that cylinder is available every day and the women carry it this way only. I also saw women carrying other bulky objects. 

 

Experiencing Kumaon Himalaya 5: Sky watching from Munsyari

✪  Interactions with a visually impaired singer
✪  Ursa Major, Arcturus and Pancha- Chuli peaks!
✪  Glorious night sky and star trails!
✪  Finally could capture the Moon- rise
✪  Joy of starry sky with the Milky way
✪  Warmth of tea in a dangerous cold climate!

Got up at 4 am on the dawn of 7th December. Extremely cold weather in Munsyari! But was too eager to watch the sky! Gathered some courage and came out of the room. Oh! What a sight this is! Ursa Major is up and so above the horizon! Of course, its reason being North position of Munsyari. Even yesterday night Cassiopeia constellation was also quite up. In the dawn, bright Jupiter, Regulus, Castor and Pollux, Sirius, Arcturus and Spica are shining! Many artificial satellites are also visible. Slowly the day is breaking. Observing through the telescope is very difficult. Removing the lid on the telescope was difficult! Fingers are getting numb. Observed through the telescope for some time. In the East, there is one bright star. It cannot be Venus. There is no such a bright star near Libra. Surely, it is Mercury. Observed it for half an hour!

 

Moonrise video- Moon rising from behind Pancha Chuli peaks
 

8 hour time-lapse video from Cassiopeia to Ursa Major

Experiencing Kumaon Himalaya 4: Towards thrilling Munsyari!

✪  Jeep ride on a treacherous route in Uttarakhand
✪  On the bank of Gori Ganga river
✪  Memories of relief work in Jauljibi villages
✪  Munsyari- A mesmerizing village
✪  Trek to Nanda Devi Mandir
✪  Moonrise on the backdrop of Pancha Chuli peaks!

I left Satgarh on the dawn of 6th December. It is just daylight and the jeep arrived. Aditya dropped me on the road. I took the back seat. I have my telescope and binocular with me. From Satgarh Munsiyari is not much- 108 kms. But entire the route is mountainous with difficult terrain! Therefore around 4-5 hours are needed. The continuously turning road. In order to avoid vomiting, I decided that I would not eat anything till I reach Munsiyari. I had followed this during Tanakpur- Pithauragarh journey also. My experience tells me that it is useful.

(Here you can listen my article in audio format.)

Experiencing Kumaon Himalaya 3: Satgarh- A dream village in Himalaya!

✪  Sky watching in severe cold weather
✪  Farms on slope, small houses and distant villages obscured by fog!
✪  Trekking in serene nature
✪  Saffron snow- peaks in the evening
✪  "Watch, the tiger is standing there!"

Satgarh! Woke up at 4:30 am on 5th December. So severe cold outside! Sky watching from the terrace is next to impossible! It is almost trying to settle on a Perth pitch. But the sky is so mesmerizing! So the sky defied the cold weather. Although the Moon is shining brilliantly, it is now low in the West. There is bright Jupiter near the Moon. Sirius is low towards South. In the East, there are many stars. The Ursa Major are rising high in the sky! The Leo constellation is clear. I set the mobile for astrophotography. Hands are shaking. But oh beauty! What a blissful dawn! Slowly the birds started chirping!

Experiencing Kumaon Himalaya 2: Trekking in Pithauragarh

The morning of 3rd December! Yesterday I had to spend the night in the open at the bus stop. The bus had left at around 3 am. The ghat- journey at the dawn! The night was so long, I was wondering when will it last! But surprisingly the night was quickly over like a timelapse! When the bus stopped at Champawat for tea, it was twilight. Mountain ranges everywhere! Spiral roads! Sparse houses in the mountains and farming on the slopes! This road comes under Hirak project of "BRO". Then Lohaghat, Gurna and Pithauragarh! The road was not closed anywhere and there was not much traffic also. Reached Pithauragarh at 8:30 am.  

(Here you can listen this article.)

Relatives coming for the marriage are supposed to stay at one hotel. But this Pithauragarh! A city at around 1600 meter elevation. Snow- capped mountains are visible in the distance! I started my walk with the gentle sunshine. Asked directions to some boys and they showed me the short cut path- the walkway! Pahari people are very genuine. Had a wonderful small walk with them. Then met relatives from the side of my wife. It was a good meeting and dialogue. Later on I took ample rest. 

As it is December, the Sun sets here quite early! It is dark after 5:30 pm. The afternoon is not that cold, but the evening is very cold. I observed the night sky from the hotel terrace. There are plenty of city lights and also the Moon is almost full. So for clear sky, I need to wait a bit.