Venus and Jupiter - 18 June 2015

[DRT]

I was driving home from Scotland very late last night in a rather grumpy mood due to road closures and a long diversion when I noticed Venus and Jupiter chasing the already set Sun out my side window surrounded by isolated black clouds against a deep blue sky. What a magnificent sight!!

This lifted my mood instantly and I had the pleasure of their company for around 30 minutes as I hurtled down the M19 at (ermm?) exactly on the appropriate speed ( ) whilst listening to a selection of tracks from Dire Straits on Radio 2.

Perhaps the most unconventional observing session I have ever had and it definitely put my averted vision skills to the test trying to keep track of the objects through the side window whilst dodging the late night articulated lorries

I am convinced that at one point I could see the phase of Venus when it was behind some thin cloud that dimmed its brightness to the extent that it removed the usual glare. Has anyone else witnessed that or was I imagining it?

[xtreemchaos]

great report mate,what a lovely sight to see venus and jupiter on the drive home.thanks for sharing..charl.

[ronl]

It was even more mesmerizing last night, Jupiter, Venus and a wonderful

crescent Moon, it was superb while it lasted, those darn clouds. 

[DRT]

Yes, I saw that, Ron - absolutely stunning to see all three in such close formation.

[Stu]

Looked lovely didn't they?

Never knowingly seen a phase to Venus with the naked eye, but it's pretty bright so may be possible?

[ronl]

Looked lovely didn't they?

Never knowingly seen a phase to Venus with the naked eye, but it's pretty bright so may be possible?

The thin cloud may have dimmed the brightness enough to make out the phase, although 

I haven't witnessed it myself.  

[trynda1701]

I'm sure I've read somewhere that people with exceptional eyesight have claimed to see the thin cresent phase of Venus, but I think it has to be within a few weeks of inferior conjunction? I do NOT have said exceptional eyesight!

Wish I could remember where I read it, but it may have been in Sky and Telescope magazine many years ago?

Mark

[DRT]

To clarify my statement in the opening post. I was driving south on the A19 at approximately 70mph and Venus was directly through my driver's side window covered in a thing veil of cloud. I glanced at it for a second, perhaps less, and it appeared as a half disk facing the direction of the Sun that had set only a few minutes earlier. This was high speed averted vision through a natural filter (the clouds) plus the slightly tinted glass of a car window.

This seems like a repeatable experiment

[Silveradogold]

I was driving home from Scotland very late last night in a rather grumpy mood due to road closures and a long diversion when I noticed Venus and Jupiter chasing the already set Sun out my side window surrounded by isolated black clouds against a deep blue sky. What a magnificent sight!!

This lifted my mood instantly and I had the pleasure of their company for around 30 minutes as I hurtled down the M19 at (ermm?) exactly on the appropriate speed ( ) whilst listening to a selection of tracks from Dire Straits on Radio 2.

Perhaps the most unconventional observing session I have ever had and it definitely put my averted vision skills to the test trying to keep track of the objects through the side window whilst dodging the late night articulated lorries

I am convinced that at one point I could see the phase of Venus when it was behind some thin cloud that dimmed its brightness to the extent that it removed the usual glare. Has anyone else witnessed that or was I imagining it?

Sorry DRT, but it's highly unlikely to be able to see the phase of Venus with the unaided eye at this time in it's approach.

Maybe later in July when Venus presents a better favorable phase.

Clear Skies ----- Silveradogold 

[Silveradogold]

Sorry DRT, but it's highly unlikely to be able to see the phase of Venus with the unaided eye at this time in it's approach.

Maybe later in July when Venus presents a better favorable phase.

Clear Skies ----- Silveradogold 

Hmmm...... I find the way you saw Venus intriguing.... I'm going to try viewing Venus through some filters I have to see the differences.

But Venus is only about 29 seconds of arc right now.

If you saw that, then your sighting is amazing.

Clear Skies ----- Silveradogold 

[DRT]

"Unaided" is not what I am suggesting.

If I saw this, which I think I did because it hit me as a surprise, it was for a fraction of a second out of the corner of my eye travelling at 70mph from the tinted side window of a Mercedes looking through thin cloud. So not under normal viewing conditions