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jupiter image via Shutterstock

Look out the window: You'll be able to see Jupiter next to the full moon

The massive planet will be visible to the naked eye – even from brightly lit cities.

Updated 6.45pm

IF YOU TURN your eyes to the sky tonight to look at the full moon, you might notice a brilliant looking ‘star’ shining away next to it.

That is, of course, if some pesky clouds aren’t in the way.

It won’t actually be a star – it will be the planet Jupiter. Astronomy Ireland said today the planet will be easily visible to the naked eye, even from brightly lit cities.

Jupiter is the biggest planet in the solar system at over 1,000 times the volume of the Earth.

Tonight, it will be just to the left of the moon and will still be visible tomorrow night, directly above the moon.

The planet is at its closest to the Earth for all of 2015 and tomorrow night, powerful telescopes will be set up at Astronomy Ireland’s Headquarters in Blanchardstown, Dublin, at 8pm to show its cloud belts and four moons.

All are welcome and the ‘Jupiter Watch’ is free of charge.

“We are urging everyone to glance at the sky over the next two nights and see the biggest planet in the solar system right next to the Moon in the sky,” commented David Moore, editor of Astronomy Ireland magazine.

“It is an mistakable awe-inspiring sight that you cannot miss. Hopefully, it will inspire thousands more to take up the hobby of astronomy especially with the big eclipse on the way later this month!”

Originally published 3pm

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51 Comments
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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:38 PM

    A telescope is one of the best investments anyone can make. Such a great hobby. There’s always something new to look at in the sky, and it’s ever-changing throughout the year so you’ll always have something to look forward to. Here’s one of my shots of Jupiter: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B_DXGIeW0AE5VPQ.png:large

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    Mute Niall Lonergan
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:52 PM

    What aperture is your scope? What type of camera did you use?

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    Mute Andrea Rock Massey
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:56 PM

    I love that Sean, Jupiter is by far my favourite planet. I have a telescope and I can’t get it to work properly, I think it’s because I’m in a densely lit area. Any suggestions?

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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:59 PM

    I took it with an 11″ Celestron SCT. It’s video footage – not an actual photo, I just stacked the frames using a program called registax.

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    Mute Deco James Connolly
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 4:00 PM

    No real solution other than go to a darker area or a higher location above the light pollution.

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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 4:01 PM

    Andrea – It’s best to get out of light-polluted areas to get the best out of your telescope. I go to a few small/secluded beaches when I go out. Also make sure your telescope is regularly collimated to get the best performance out of it. Do you know what type of telescope you have? What problems are you having with it?

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 4:07 PM

    “There’s always something new to look at in the sky”

    Yeah but it’s usually a big grey cloud.

    I used to have a 12.5″ reflector when I was living in Australia. Difficult to justify the cost here though :-(

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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 4:19 PM

    Yeah gets pretty cloudy here Jake. Gotta make the most out of the clear skies when you have them!

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    Mute Francie Coffey
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 5:47 PM

    ” By Jupiter, I think it’s the Moon, dear boy…!! “

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    Mute Andrea Rock Massey
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 6:42 PM

    It’s a Celestron Nexstar 310SLT and I can’t get it to register where it is (using the two farthest objects in the sky). I think you’re all right and I need to go somewhere a bit more secluded. It’s driving me mad..

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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 7:01 PM

    Having problems aligning it for the goto feature? Make sure your finder scope and actual telescope are properly aligned together first, if they aren’t already. Finderscope can be knocked out a bit easily when you’re moving your scope around. Go along to a local astronomy club meeting and get someone to give you a hand setting it up. You’re probably not aligning it to the correct stars. Once you do it once or twice, it becomes first nature.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 9:31 PM

    @Francie That’s not a moon. It’s a space station!

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    Mute Andrea Rock Massey
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 9:59 PM

    Thanks a million Sean, that’s what I’m going to do.

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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 10:57 PM

    No problem :)

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    Mute Deco James Connolly
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:36 PM

    Can it be taxed in some way .

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:50 PM

    Excellent

    12
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    Mute Deco James Connolly
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 4:01 PM

    Just trying to do my bit to improve the countries fortune.

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    Mute Mad Hatter
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 9:44 PM

    Never heard of the window tax??

    3
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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:17 PM

    I’m assuming that owing to cloud cover this will be invisible tonight. I, personally, have not seen the Perseid showers for approx. 25 years at this stage. The same with other common treats in the astronomical calendars.

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    Mute John S
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:32 PM

    You’ll be lucky to see Uranus tonight with the cloud cover……

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    Mute Ken McCarthy
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:23 PM

    We should avail of the opportunity while it’s at its closest and shove Iphohe Joan & Kenny Lite into a makeshift shuttle. Irelands first 2 man mission to Jupiter.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 9:17 PM

    Space travel doesn’t work like that. If you aim at a planet when it’s closest to you then you’ll miss widely. You need to aim for an intercept course much further down its orbital path which is most efficient when you can schedule a Hoffman Transfer using Mars as a slingshot.

    Kerbal Space Program can make anyone an amateur rocket scientist.

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    Mute Gary Radford
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 5:08 PM

    times like this I wish I had a telescope

    27
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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 6:00 PM

    You can view Jupiter anytime :) Well, at least anytime this time of the year. It’s easier to see when there’s no moon anyways.

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    Mute littleone
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:31 PM

    Time to get telescope out . hopefully clear night.

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    Mute Marco Reilly
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 8:11 PM

    Girls go to college to get more knowledge; boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider…….according to my 8 year old daughter

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 10:16 PM

    Right
    So tell her girls are weak, chuck ‘em in the creek. Boys are stronger they live longer.

    If she still has a comeback bring out V the big guns… I know you are but what am I.

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    Mute Don Draper
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 6:58 PM

    Space is so awesome

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 4:36 PM

    My top 5 celestial objects for viewing in order:

    Reflection Nebula NGC1977 <- extremely bright green, easily visible without a nebula filter or long exposure
    The Andromeda Galaxy
    Saturn
    The Moon
    Jupiter

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    Mute Lesley Phillips
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 6:20 PM

    Will it have gold and white stripes or blue and black stripes?

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    Mute Will Derbylight
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:09 PM

    The brightest object in the sky – is the ISS.

    International Space Station.

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    Mute Dave King
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:12 PM

    Don’t forget Venus…

    18
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    Mute HRH The Brummie
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:13 PM

    No its the sun, unless you mean at night … which I assume you did.

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    Mute Mike
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:14 PM

    Uranus Bill

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    Mute Fiyoyo
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:15 PM

    When it’s visible

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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:15 PM

    No, the brightest object in the sky is the sun

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    Mute Mrs Shalakalananaka
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:15 PM

    What about the moon?

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    Mute Fiyoyo
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:16 PM

    And they said a star not an object

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:16 PM

    Down load sky map to smart phone.

    Excellent app shows you what’s what in the sky just by pointing your phone up.

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    Mute littleone
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:35 PM

    The brightest object is the sun . then the moon then venus.

    13
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    Mute Jake Race
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 4:48 PM

    Is space visible from the great wall of China?

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    Mute Ivon Itchie Saq
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 7:45 PM

    Full moon?

    13
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    Mute Ian Flanagan
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 3:47 PM

    Wow

    12
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    Mute Conall Geesus Harkin
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 5:53 PM

    Can’t wait! My two favourite colours! Black and blue!

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 5:10 PM

    Other Suns are visible to us at night. Ours is the only one that’s not. We drew the short straw as regards Suns.

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    Mute Lisa Denby
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 8:03 PM

    Will have a look, by the way moon isn’t full until Thursday evening- just saying

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    Mute Niall Farrell
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 7:15 PM

    Taught I seen it…. Then realised it was the moon.

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    Mute sinlacasa
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 8:35 PM

    I thought I saw it*

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    Mute Veronica
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    Mar 2nd 2015, 10:56 PM

    its not full moon tonight its the last quarter… bad journalism…

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    Mute Randy Rarely
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 10:50 AM

    Awesome

    1
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