BS: Venus and Mercury

Subject: RE: BS: Venus and Mercury
From: alanabit
Date: 08 Apr 10 - 05:01 AM

It's often a similar story here Kendall. However, I did get a good sight of Venus and Mercury the other night. Mars has been easy to spot for weeks now. It is very high and just to the left of Castor and Pollux. I had never seen Saturn before (knowingly at any rate) until two nights ago. I reckon it must have been that thing just below Leo and to the right of Acturus. It was nowhere near as bright as Acturus, which was disappointing, as my friends tell me it can be as bright as minus one. As my hands are not steady enough with binoculars and I am a bit clumsy with the telescope, I was not sure whether I was really seeing the rings or not. I will have another go on the next clear night. I will probably need some help from someone, who can handle a telescope a little more competently than I can!

Subject: RE: BS: Venus and Mercury
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 08 Apr 10 - 04:39 AM

We can't see the planets for the trees.

Subject: RE: BS: Venus and Mercury
From: Rowan
Date: 07 Apr 10 - 10:23 PM

And there was I, thinking of medicine when I should have been thinking of astronomy.

Thanks for the astronomical heads up, Penny.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Venus and Mercury
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Apr 10 - 01:02 AM

As it was getting dark this evening (maybe ten minutes after sunset), Venus was about one (horizontal) hand's width above the Western horizon - looked almost due west to me.
-Joe in Northern California-

Subject: RE: BS: Venus and Mercury
From: Art Thieme
Date: 07 Apr 10 - 12:56 AM

It is tonight's APOD or Astronomy Picture of the Day. Go to their amazing website, and there they will be--as photographed from Spain.

Art

Subject: RE: BS: Venus and Mercury
From: GUEST,mauvepink
Date: 06 Apr 10 - 02:54 PM

Sorry about the blank post. I have no idea how that happens

Later in the night you will also see a quite red Mars in the south west and a bright (though nowhere near as bright as Venus or Mercury) Saturn in the south.

If you look at the place where the sun has set, in a line along to Venus, you will see Mercury clear enough as twilight increases much nearer the horizon.

(I am sure there is no need to warn anyone NOT to use binoculars at all while the sun is up to try and get an early sighting of Mercury. However, I will make mention of it)

Good luck and have fun! They do make a great sight :-)

mp

Subject: RE: BS: Venus and Mercury
From: alanabit
Date: 06 Apr 10 - 01:07 PM

Thanks for those tips Penny. I have not seen Venus since last autumn, when I saw it in the East in the morning. There were so few unclouded nights this winter in Köln, that I probably would not have seen it anyway. I expect with the city lights I am unlikely to be able to spot Mercury, but I shall have a go. Last summer was a great time to observe Jupiter from here, but it seems to be disappearing from view. Apparently it will be available briefly for a short time early in the evening, so I shall look for it again tonight.
That planet tracking site looks intersesting, so I shall be looking into that some more. I don't do science and mathematics, but it is nice to be able to look up at beautiful things and know some of their names!

Subject: RE: BS: Venus and Mercury
From: Penny S.
Date: 06 Apr 10 - 02:20 AM

You might like to download the free planetarium program Stellarium.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Venus and Mercury
From: open mike
Date: 05 Apr 10 - 03:24 PM

http://www.space.com/nightsky/
see this site for more info and interactive maps based on your location

Subject: RE: BS: Venus and Mercury
From: Penny S.
Date: 05 Apr 10 - 02:33 PM

West - above and towards the equator from the position the sun went down. Quite a way up the sky - once its bright enough to see Venus you won't be able to miss it. There's nothing else as bright as either in that part of the sky at the time - except possibly planes - but they move a bit faster.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Venus and Mercury
From: gnomad
Date: 05 Apr 10 - 02:26 PM

Can you advise what direction to look? (Roughly, of course)

Please excuse if this is an imbecilic question, I dunno about these things.

Subject: BS: Venus and Mercury
From: Penny S.
Date: 05 Apr 10 - 02:12 PM

These are together in the evening sky after sunset for the next few days, and worth a look if your skies are clear. Just before 8 pm BST, and similar times elsewhere, Venus becomes visible first. Then Mercury becomes visible to the right, at about a thumb's breadth at arm's length. At first, it easier to see with binoculars, but is bright enough as it sinks to be seen with naked eye. Apparently, only 1% of people have seen it.

Penny