Sometimes It's The Simplest Things

[Apollo XX]

If you were to step up to the scope pictured below and put your eye to the eyepiece, you'd have seen a very lovely 16% crescent Venus looking back at you. This is an oustanding apparition to see Venus at its largest and thinnest, a sight like no other in our Solar System.

Inferior conjunction will happen on the 26th if this month, when she'll be a very dangerous 6 degrees elongated from the sun...really not a practical time to be spying on her.

However, all the way up to the 20th, she'll be a relatively safe 12 or more degrees elongated, at which time you can see the Goddess of Love on an extreme diet - just 1.9% illuminated.

It's the coolest thing to share with unsuspecting observers. People look in the eyepiece, look up at the blue sky, and then scratch their heads. The most common response is "ok, I see the moon in the eyepiece, but not in the sky???" Invariably the next response is "that's SO cool!"

So, if the clouds give us a break, why not? It's easy enough and well worth the effort, IMHO.

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[Apollo XX]

I don't fully understand the exact mechanics surrounding it, but at certain times of the year the moon's path takes a steeper angle and it's easier to see thin crescents and earthshine. Yesterday was a good day for a thin crescent, as in the late afternoon the 2nd day/3.8% Luna stood high over the western horizon in the sunset twilight. It was purty.

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[Bruce D]

Very cool Mike!

[AndyG]

Great capture Mike!

[Apollo XX]

Thanks, Bruce and Andy! Here's today's simple pleasure...a 7% waning crescent Venus captured with a cell phone @ 60x through the eyepiece. Truth be told, the live view is a thinner and more attractive crescent, but the horrid post-storm seeing smears the light. This is really something everyone should see in the eyepiece.

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[Bruce D]

Wow with a web cam! When does Venus set these days? I'm thinking we may not see it from Mattapoisett tonight

[NGC7000]

Hey Mike, That's a great shot of Venus. I didn't know you were still posting on this thread. For some reason I'm not getting notifications this thread is active.

Tom

[mrgizmo65]

.uk ,that is an amazing shot!!For sure there had to be some element of luck involved.

[Apollo XX]

The Beaver Full Moon shone bright on the Friday evening after Thanksgiving, and the light cloud cover served to add a very attractive element to the scene, I think. Aldebaran and the Haydes were very close by (but hard to see in the extended exposure glare, and the clouds were forming a faint halo which is what I had set out to capture. In the end though the clouds at large stole the show, and I think you'll agree that 'Fire Moon' is an appropriate name for the outcome.

Samsung S6, 'Pro' mode, ISO800, F1.9, 2 seconds;

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[Bruce D]

Great picture Mike! The scene reminds me of the 1957 movie Curse of the Demon that scared the crap out of me when I was 7 hahaha