The alignment of six planets B次元官网网址� Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, and Venus B次元官网网址� this month has sky photographers abuzz.
While astronomers flock to places like the official Cattle Point Dark Skies Park in Oak Bay, Robert B次元官网网址楲uckyB次元官网网址� Budd is stalking the stars from home not far away.
The Victoria writer and historian well known for award-winning collaboration books with renowned artist Roy Henry Vickers, Budd started sky photography in spring 2020 as a COVID-19 project.
Now he gets excited over clear skies and a waning moon.
B次元官网网址淭hese days weB次元官网网址檙e having incredibly clear skies,B次元官网网址� Budd told the Victoria B次元官网网址 on Jan. 28. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no moon right now. When you want to take photos of the sky you want to wait until itB次元官网网址檚 waning or there is no moon.B次元官网网址�
He feels incredibly lucky to live near the ocean with its many dark sky sites, and his own personal south-facing view.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e in a really rare thing where the planets are aligned in an arc,B次元官网网址� he said, noting itB次元官网网址檚 something that hasnB次元官网网址檛 happened since 949 CE.
Every 40 years the inner three line up, but getting them all is a big deal.
HeB次元官网网址檚 shot impressive images of Jupiter and Saturn B次元官网网址� and its moons Thetys, Enceladus and Mimas B次元官网网址� from his backyard, but the B次元官网网址渟tar nurseriesB次元官网网址� keep calling to him.
Right now Orion is to the south just after sunset and the Orion Nebula is the closest B次元官网网址渟tar-forming nursery to Earth,B次元官网网址� Budd said. B次元官网网址淵ou can even see these with the naked eye if you know where to look,B次元官网网址�
The nebula is adjacent to OrionB次元官网网址檚 little sword, just below the three stars that make up OrionB次元官网网址檚 Belt.
The same constellation contains the Horsehead Nebula just below the first star in the belt. There, in the dusty shape of the equine, B次元官网网址渂aby stars are being born.B次元官网网址� That one is not visible to the naked eye.
While clear skies are set to end as winter weather is expected imminently, Budd knows other opportunities will present themselves.
