The Star(s)

 From 8,000 feet elevation we get two things, very cold winters and clear sky for star-gazing.  Jupiter and Saturn are now so close together that with the naked eye they look like one star and of course very bright.  And at Christmas too!  Wow.  But with binoculars I can see both planets separate but close together.  Now in Florida where you are at sea level and lots of haze, you may see nothing.  In New York you are getting a Nor’easter, so forget stars.  But if you have a clear sky go out soon after sunset or else the planets will go below the horizon if you wait.  Here it was about 6:00 PM, but maybe 6:30 would have worked too.  We have mountains so we cannot delay.  I remember hearing about a bright star when Jesus was born.  Well, here we are, astronomical history or not, Christmas and a bright star, or two planets flying by.  Both work for me.  But it was really cold outside.