Explanation:
Wandering planets Venus and Jupiter were joined by an old crescent Moon
near the eastern horizon on July 15.
This
serene southern skyview
of the much anticipated predawn
conjunction includes
the lovely Pleiades star cluster and bright stars Aldebaran
and Betelgeuse in the celestial lineup.
For help identifying the stars and constellations, just slide your
cursor over the image.
Of course, the radio telescope in the foreground is the
Parkes 64 meter
dish of New South Wales, Australia.
Known for its exploration of the distant Universe
at radio wavelengths,
the large, steerable antenna is also famous for its superior
lunar television reception.
On July 21, 1969 the dish received broadcasts from the Moon
that allowed denizens of planet Earth to
watch
the Apollo 11 moonwalk.
