Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Kenya Morning Moon, Planets, and Taurid

NASA ^ | November 12, 2015 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: On November 8, a waning crescent Moon joined the continuing parade of planets in Earth's morning skies. Captured here from Amboseli National Park, Kenya, even the overexposed moonlight can't washout brilliant Venus though, lined up near the ecliptic plane with faint Mars and bright Jupiter above. As if Moon and planets aren't enough, a comparably bright Taurid meteor also streaks through the scene. In fact November's Taurid meteor showers have had a high proportion of bright fireballs. Apparently streaming from radiants in Taurus, the meteors are caused by our fair planet's annual passage through debris from Comet 2P/Encke. The comet's dust grains are catching up with Earth's atmosphere at a relatively low speed of about 27 kilometers per second.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit and Copyright: Babak Tafreshi (TWAN)]

[SunkenCiv]

The Big One

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[Bibman]

I will bet that this is the view that Barry Soretoro
saw as a child.

[Verginius Rufus]

Kenya is all within about five degrees of the equator. I think this park is about 3 degrees south of the equator, near the border with Tanzania and Mount Kilimanjaro.

I saw this lineup a few mornings ago but it was tilted the other way, with Jupiter to the right. After decades of socialism in Kenya, even the planets tilt to the left.

[TheOldLady]

That’s a very busy but interesting light show.

Thank you for the post and ping, Mr. Civilizations.

[SunkenCiv]

My pleasure!

[JoeProBono]

[TheOldLady]

Big smiles!