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I’m sure everyone on this forum who had good weather saw the beautiful conjunction of Venus, Moon and Jupiter this morning.
Using the crescent Moon as a reference point, I was able to locate Venus at 8:03 AM, 15 minutes after sunrise from Rugby.
Unfortunately I was at work and so unable to observe continuously. The next time I tried was at 8:07, and I couldn’t spot the planet (there was also some light cloud around).
I’m sure anyone able and determined enough to observe more assiduously, with a clear sky, could have followed the planet with the naked eye for much longer than me … perhaps even until Moonset.
Did anyone try?
And Jupiter?
I was viewing it (when safe to do so!) on my way into work, and then wondered how long after I could follow it.
When I was younger in my 30’s I was able, on many occasions in the afternoon whilst the Sun was well up not at dusk, to look in a clear sky in the area of sky where I knew Venus was located and see it quite easily Once located it could be seen again for the rest of the afternoon if it stayed clear. My eyesight was good then, not so good now though. I seem to remember that I could see about 13 stars in the Pleiades.I have never been able to see Mercury with the unaided eye in the daytime but occasionally Jupiter coud be seen in really clear daytime skies. I remember the afternoon of the day after the SL9 impact pointing my telescope at Jupiter during the daytime, without circles or goto, just pointing the finder at Jupiter, which I could see with my naked eye, then to get an unexpected surprise when I looked through the eyepiece and saw the jaw dropping sight of the impact scars on Jupiter.
Denis Buczynski
On 18th June 2007 there was an occultation of Venus . Four Members of the Local Astronomy Club and myself all reported being able to view Venus naked eye both before and after Occultation , Times for these reports ran between 1650 and 18.20 GMT. Then on the 21st June I noted in my log that I was able to See Venus at 19.35 gmt through thin Cloud with the just before first quarter Moon also visible.Yesterdays Association of the Moon Venus and Jupiter ( 31st January) was indeed a glorious sight if a little chilly. Image attached. Taken at 05.51 GMT
I also saw this amazing site of VMJ.
But by the time I was able to try for an unaided day time observation. It clouded.
When was the last time we had a conjunction like this? In the 46+ years of amateur astronomy. I can not recall seeing the Moon between two bright planets.
Hi Mike,
I think I’m one of those lucky chaps who can see Venus in the daytime sky without optical aid- indeed, most of my Venus work is done in the daytime as the bright sky greatly reduces the glare from the disk.
As the planet heads towards superior conjunction, it drops in brightness and can be hard to see, so another technique is to offset from the Sun. To anyone reading this: Only try this if you’re an experienced observer- if you’re not sure, don’t do it!
First make sure your telescope is capped. Next, project the sun on to some white card/paper with your finderscope so that it is in the centre then cap your finderscope. Lock the telescope into position then rotate your RA and Dec circles so that they read the RA and Dec of the sun. Next move your telescope to the coordinates of Venus. After making sure the sun is nowhere near the field of view (again using projection with your finderscope), use a low power eyepiece and you should see the planet in the field.
I have used this method for a good few years now on those days when it is slightly hazy and pick,ing up the planet in the daytime sky can be harder. I should say that anyone who doesn’t feel at least 110% confident should catch the planet in the dawn or dusk skies instead rather than trying this method!
Cheers,
-Paul
In June of 2018 I saw Venus with the naked eye at about 16:00 UTC when the Sun was at an altitude of 30 degrees. To do this I used my GOTO telescope as a guide as to where to look. The sky was particularly clear and a deep blue which suggests not much of the usual milky haze we get in the UK. Even so spotting it wasn’t easy if I looked only a degree or so off target then finding it again was tricky.
I’ve never seen Jupiter with the Sun in the sky.
By the way I grew up in Rugby and have many happy memories of observing there. Attached picture is Venus (barely visible!) from Rugby in 1983.
Rugby now has its very own astronomical society, Rugby AS, who meet at Church Lawford. I’ve spoken to them many times and they are a great bunch (my home society are still Coventry & Warwickshire AS).
As a complete side track to this issue. I wonder if Phillip or Mike have ever visited the Temple Observatory at Rugby School. It houses one of the first Alvan Clark refractors. I visited there in the 1980’s and I understand the observatory (telescope) has had some refurbishment work done recently. Any information wold be useful.
Denis
I visited the Temple Observatory a couple of times in the early 2000s. The head of science at Rugby school at the time was a member of Rugby AS and we were investigating the idea of Rugby AS or Coventry&Warks AS swapping expertise for observing time. We had a good view of the lunar terminator but not much success finding anything else. Enthusiasm for a joint venture waned when the head of science moved on. From time to time the Seabroke Society (Rugby School’s Astrosoc) recruit some enthusiastic youngsters but obviously they don’t stick around for long.
I took this on 23rd January 8.15am from Cupar,Fife..JPG)
This shot was taken on 31st January 8.29am from Cupar,Fife,- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.