The Moon and Jupiter at Conjunction on January 18, 2024

Photographer: Vincenzo Russo
Summary Author: Vincenzo Russo

This photo shows the Moon and Jupiter at conjunction on January 18, 2024. Jupiter is the bright dot in the lower right corner. If you look closely, each of the four Galilean satellites can be seen. Trying to photograph Jupiter with its satellites together with the Moon is quite challenging because of the great difference in brightness. However, I managed to do this here thanks to the clouds that have partially obscured the first quarter Moon. 

The coloration of the clouds around the Moon is known as a lunar corona. This so called “lunar crown” results when moonlight is diffracted by the minute water droplets that compose these mid-level clouds.

Photo Details: Nikon Z6_II camera; Sigma 500 f/4.5 lens; f/7 aperture; ISO: 200; 1/13 seconds exposition time. Taken at 18:56 UTC+1.

Acireale, Italy Coordinates: 37.6142, 15.1644

Related Links:
Lunar Corona and the Waxing Gibbous Moon
Galileo and the moons of Jupiter: exploring the night sky of 1610