For those of you who are interested in star-gazing, here’s something exciting to do this weekend.
On the evening of Sunday, January 14, 2024, the planet Saturn will appear to the lower right of the waxing crescent moon in a very close approach, known in astronomy parlance as a ‘conjunction’.
The conjuncting pair will be 7 degrees apart as evening twilight ends (at 6.11 pm EST), and Saturn will set on the southwest horizon, a little over 2 hours later.
The conjunction of the 2 heavenly bodies will be visible in the constellation Aquarius, or Kumbha Raashi, at 25 degrees elevation in the northwest sky. The planet Jupiter will also be visible in the constellation Aries during the event.
Astronomy-lovers as well as the general public and can enjoy watching this phenomena with the Association of Friends of Astronomy (Goa), which has made arrangements for sky observation sessions with telescopes.
These sessions will be open from 6 pm to 7.30 pm at four locations in Goa.
The venues are the public astronomical observatories at Junta House (Panjim) and Ravindra Bhavan (Margao) along with 1930 Vasco Mall terrace (Vasco) and Bodgeshwar temple ground (Mapusa).
Access to the venues is open to all and free of cost.
At the Margao observatory, a special lecture on ‘Rockets’, by Ankita Huddedgadi, former scientist from ISRO, has been organized to mark the occasion.
