Conjunction Junction

May 26th found us at NASA Space and Rocket Center for an astronomy lecture and viewing. It was the ideal night to see a triple conjunction, the close alignment of three planets in the sky (some believe the Star of Bethlehem was an example of a very unique conjunction). On this past Sunday evening, it happened to be Venus, Mercury, and Jupiter. You could see it with the naked eye, but the Von Braun Astronomical Society was on hand with many sizes and types of telescopes to give us a close-up view, including several of Jupiter's moons.

But, more fascinating to us was Saturn! After the trio of planets set in the horizon, the astronomers turned their telescopes the opposite direction and honed in on Saturn. I had never seen that particular planet with a good quality ten inch telescope. It was amazing! There is no describing how crisp and clear the planet, its rings, and the moons were. It was a tiny miniature of every drawing or diagram or model I've ever seen. It was so adorable you just wanted to put the little thing in your pocket! After we enjoyed a turn or two, it was fun to stand back and watch other adults and kids catch their first glimpse of the magnified sight. There was real joy and amazement from tiny tots to elderly grandparents. What a treat for all ages!