(270) Surprise!

Despite some of the nonsense on social media (big surprise, I know) Jupiter and moons are still visible in the night sky. Although yesterday was apparently the day when Jupiter will pass closest to Earth for the past 59 years, it does, of course, still look very much the same 24 hours later. I'd love to see the celestial mechanics model that would fit some of the dafter social media ideas about what we see in the sky, including the 'awesome' supermoons etc, etc. Anyway, this is my shot of Jupiter and satellites tonight, as seen through a 600mm lens and full-frame DSLR. Galileo probably had a better view through his telescope. If you 'get' the following reference then I'm impressed!

This is the planet Earth. It is a small planet, wrapped in clouds but, for us, it is a very important place, it is home. But supposing we look away from the Earth and travel, in our imaginations, across the vast starry stretches of outer space. Then we can imagine other stars, stranger stars by far than ever shone in our night sky….and planets too. This calm serene orb, sailing majestically among the the myriad stars of the firmament. Perhaps this star too is home for somebody. Can we imagine the sort of people who might live on a star like this? Let us go very close/ Let us look and listen very carefully and perhaps we shall see,…..and hear…..