Saturday, October 24, 2015: hubby’s phone alarm went off at 4 AM initiating our practiced paces to get out on the road quickly and efficiently. Heading east on US 36 through to I-70E, hubby and I enjoyed the clear pre-dawn sky. Littered with glittering stars, planets and satellites, we absorbed the 180 degree view of the Eastern Horizon. Knowing our unobstructed high plains views would be left behind with each mile driven back to our current place of residence in South Carolina, we reminisced about our numerous past night-sky adventures. Amidst our gazing, talking, dreaming and driving we both realized something extraordinary was occurring in the left, northern most part of the eastern sky.
“Ah, yes, there’s Venus, but what’s that bigger planet? Jupiter?”
I grabbed the mini-binoculars always at the ready in our car and saw a third red dot curved below the other two planets.
“Terry! It’s a trio of planets, Mars is there, too.”
With hubby at the wheel, we both sky-watched as this glorious oddity continued to shine forth throughout the unfolding of the dawn, well into Kansas. What exactly was this?
Turns out, October 24, 2015 was the absolute best day to observe this rare Dawn Triangle of Planets, marking the beginning of the best week to observe it as well.
(It’s not too late to get out and see this for yourself!)
Also, turns out that the biggest planet was Venus…my bad!
Oh how amazing! I’ll go out tomorrow morning, see if there is any lingering triangle. And will definitely check it out next weekend, hoo boy!
Many years ago, while we lived in Britain, I got to view Saturn and its rings; such a cold December evening, but what a show. These are truly God’s natural surprises; thanks for bringing this to my attention! 😉
glowbrightpeace
The thought of actually seeing the rings of Saturn makes my imagination swirl…
Hope the weather co-operates for you to see this trio.
hishandsholdsurprisespeace
That is so cool. I’m rarely out at a time when I would see such a spectacular sky. I miss the wide open sky of the Kansas plains where I grew up.
I’m no flatlander but I do love Kansas! 😉
Looking forward to the show in November. I wonder what this placement looks like if I was lots of millions of miles on the other side looking back towards Earth.
Love the visual of your wondering…
Very interesting to me. Obviously the placement of the three heavenly bodies we see from here on Mom Earth would just be reversed, but if we took the line of site from eyes way out there looking back this way through the Triangle then past “us” I wonder what other rock patterns would be seen. Can I borrow your binocs?
Cooool. 😎
I think you’d need some kinda magic binocs to pull that one off, tho.
Yep, ‘fraid so.
Nice distraction on your long ride. I’m out running long before the sun comes up during the week. I think I noticed Jupiter and Venus but what I was seeing didn’t really register. I’ll look for the trio on my next run!
Let me know how you fare…also, if you look really closely right at the breaking of the daylight, Mercury is literally rising up from the ‘earth-horizon’, too! Since it’s so far away from the trio, it’s not part of the planetary conjunction mentioned in the article.
Run-on, lady.
Wow! I might have seen this while in Pennsylvania. The view was so clear there. I need to bookmark that video.
Hope you had a lovely trip, Laura. I certainly did!
Yes, my visit with Dad was one of the best, ever…
As for that trio of planets: Don’t you just love it when the Lord surprises us through His natural creation?!