Anyone observing the conjunction?

[laudropb]

Got a view for about 15 minutes before the clouds rolled in.

[Victor Boesen]

Viewed it about an hour ago. could still see venus and neptune in same fov with 112x!!

[furrysocks2]

I pulled out the EQ3 and 150 f/8. Found Venus, and watched the sky darkening and identified one or two that may have been Neptune, doing fov calculations in my head - first light through that scope for me.

Then put the ST102 on instead, and tried the 6mm - CA awful.

So hauled out the 8.5" dob. 30mm framed them nicely, and letting Venus drift out of view gave a slightly improved colour. Tried 17mm and 6mm but couldn't tell the difference between disc and soft focus. Focuser is screw-in plumbing parts and EPs far from parfocal, collimation is out and mirror coating is gubbed, so stuck with the 30mm.

The ease of locating Neptune tonight was a real bonus, and enjoyed seeing the two in the same fov.

Spent a good 30 minutes showing a science-keen daughter of friends the conjunction and then around the sky generally.

Nice observing session.

Thanks for the heads up!

[Stub Mandrel]

4 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

Neptune mag +4.33   ? 

Sorry 8.43 after extinction, according to stellarium. My crummy typig.

No views here, sky started to clear about 9pm.

[Paul M]

I thought about having a scan with the 10x50's but looking at the sky concluded I'd be unlikely to pick out Neptune. By the time I'd finished trying to motivate myself it was too late!

Impressed that some got images with both planets in the field. 

[JOC]

Well those that did certainly weren't in our neck of the woods.  We've been lucky to just about make out Luna above the clouds, let alone stand a chance of even just seeing Venus.

[Nova2000]

9 hours ago, JOC said:

Blizzard here too - Just South of Maldon, Essex.  Currently heaving it down. 

How close do the planets need to be before it is called a 'conjunction'?  I always assumed that they needed to appear to overlap.

Overlap is occulatation. 

[Stu1976j]

Unfortunately it was cloud covered here, so another event not viewable  

[Nova2000]

Looks like it's Europe's cloudy season? 

[JOC]

5 hours ago, Nova2000 said:

Overlap is occulatation. 

Many thanks Nova2000 I shall stick 'Occulation' down as today's new word learned as that's a new one on me.

[Dave In Vermont]

As it was, the clouds rolled in on us - and just in time to save us from prime-time! Of course.....

But here's TheSkyX take on it:

 

 

Meanwhile, yesterday was over 10°C. all day. Now it starting to freeze. I think my Winter is being brought to us by some thermometer-manufacture or other.

Dave

[Paul M]

3 hours ago, Nova2000 said:

Looks like it's Europe's cloudy season? 

Yes, it starts at 00:00:00 on January 1st and usually ends at 23:59:59 on December 31st.

Like clockwork

[Nova2000]

Haha. Unpredictable weather!. Over here clouds start at end of may till September. No break in clouds. 

[bejay1957]

While the snow/sleet cleared around 1830, the clouds didn't relent here until it was too late    
Looks as if it might be clear tonight, but Venus and Neptune will have moved considerably

[Stub Mandrel]

10 hours ago, Dave In Vermont said:

Meanwhile, yesterday was over 10°C. all day. Now it starting to freeze. I think my Winter is being brought to us by some thermometer-manufacture or other.

I thought Global Warming wasn't meant to end until 20 January?