The sky was clear (ish) when I got home!

[Swoop1]

Reasonably clear skies, Venus high and bright and about an hour from getting dark so, after negotiations with Good Lady Swoop, dinner was delayed a little bit so I could set up.

This is the lightest sky I have experienced when observing Venus. As a result, utilising the X2 Barlow, 10mm EP and ND filter, the crescent was very discernible. There was a little too much high altitude haze for me to make out detail but the crescent was the best I have seen yet. 

After 20 minutes or so, I put the caps on the optics and went in to assist with dinner. Once the cooking, eating and clearing up was finished I was back outside.

Venus was still visible but was behind a tree so I went hunting. Using Starlight and Stelarium I tried for M31 but, once again I failed. I have a feeling this is a combination of factors- light pollution in the early evening, impatience on my part and a struggle to get on with my stock guide scope that came with the SW 150P. I am beginning to wonder if a future purchase of an RDF would help....

Whatever- the scope came out and I got some observing in

[Dave In Vermont]

A very nice reporting of our sister-planet. Venus is at it's peak brilliance for us Terrans of Earth. It's around this time that many police-departments here in the US get frantic phone-calls from people who believe they see a flying-saucer. Or an aircraft burning. All kind of phenomena from the Human Id!

Thank you for the reporting on a lovely crescent - Venus!

Dave

 

[Size9Hex]

Neat report. The crescent Venus was a lovely sight last night. Just wondering if you've tried the spotter scope on M31? At 20x60 it'll be perhaps a slightly darker view than you might ordinarily want on M31, but it's a bit lower power than the main scope which might help (or not!). Objects with gradual transitions in brightness, rather than hard edges of bright/dark, can benefit from lower mag. If your site is bright, you'll hopefully see the bright core as an off-circular smudge of light. If you can get to a dark site, M31 is a great sight that won't be any trouble at all though! 

[Stu]

Venus was looking incredibly bright last night wasn't it? Glad you got some time observing it.

As said with the Andromeda galaxy , large field of view is best, and although the core is quite bright, it will still be washed out by heavy light pollution or a twilight sky.

Maybe try a Telrad, or a RACI finder? Both used together can be very handy.

There are a few good star hopping maps to M31, this is one which might help.

[Swoop1]

Stu, thanks for the map. I didn't see it until I got home from this evenings session (reported on elsewhere) but it is very useful. It also leads me to believe I saw M33 tonight! 

When funds allow will have to explore a TELRAD and/ or RACI. They both look to be very useful additions to my armoury.

Size9Hex- tonights visit to a much darker site proved your theory. I think the struggle I have been having with M31 is predominantly an LP issue.

[Stu]

Nice one Swoop, I'll go and find your report  

[Paz]

Nice report. You'll be finding m31 easily soon enough with a bit of practice. When I first saw it properly I realised I had been looking right at it many times before but had not realised as my brain wasn't tuned in to what to expect.