Joshua Tree photobomb

“There’s some ill planet reigns:

I must be patient till the heavens look

With an aspect more favourable.”

~ William Shakespeare Quotes, Winter’s Tales

Patience is the key to photographing the heavens. I have had many nights when I went out to photograph an astronomy event and had clouds cover the shots I desired but tonight despite clouds I got shots of the Dance of the Planets. The name Dance of the Planets refers to when a group of planets come close together to the human eye. These planets are naturally 100’s and sometimes 1000’s of million kilometers apart but they look close when it comes to perspective.

Since May 24 of 2013 Mercury, Venus and Jupiter have been dancing the polka together and today May 30 and tomorrow they will be in a vertical line. The best time to see this is right at dusk and on the horizon on the Western sky. Venus is very bright this time of year so you will be able to spot the Goddess of Love easily. Currently she is dancing with the two boy planets Mercury and Jupiter, Mercury is above her and Jupiter is below her. In a few weeks you won’t be able to see Jupiter until he rises again. I am guessing Mercury and Venus are going to continue to dance and Jupiter is kicked off the dance floor.

Below is a close up of the dance with a Nikon D800 and Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G.

Mercury, Venus and Jupiter

Here is the sky at dusk using the Nikon D800 and Zeiss Distagon T* 2/25 ZF.2.

Bright sunset laminates the bottom as the three planets align

Try to get out there at dusk and see this before it goes away.