How many more days is Venus doable?

[Paz]

I've been impressed by the sketches and pictures if a very thin phase Venus and was wondering about taking a scope to a spot with a low horizon to catch it.

It's too low for me to see at all without going out of my way.

Is Venus still see-able for a few days?

I'm not fussy about good seeing etc, just catching it at this pase would be nice.

[John]

I'm going to try with my 11x70 binoculars shortly. Just waiting for the Sun to sink a bit. Mercury is not far away either.

[Owmuchonomy]

It was ok this afternoon but with my 9.25" I had to mask the front plate a little bit.  The biggest issue is its proximity to the Sun.  IF YOU ARE NOT SURE IT'S SAFE DON'T VIEW IT. I'm processing some captures as I write.

[Tigaroo]

Venus was stunning from this location Tuesday evening , I'm talking naked eye , I was in the car at the time, it looked almost an orangey/red colour ?!  There was nothing else it could have been , so low in the west just after sunset ! 

[John]

The low altitude of the bright planet can cause all sorts of colours to appear. It's pretty bright and white through the scope but you can get some atmospheric diffraction effects causing what look like false colours around the limbs of the planet.

It was 1.9% illuminated this evening when I caught it and Mercury with my 11x70 binoculars. The phase was very obvious with the binos.

[Paz]

Thanks for the replies. I scouted spots in the sunshine on the way home when the sun was a couple of degrees above the horizon as they will have the necessary line of sight.

I couldn't get out at the right time tonight but I've got an az4 and maksutov ready to go at short notice if another chance comes up!

[Jarvo]

I found Venus this evening with the binoculars relatively easily but couldn't train the scope on it do to its location. 

Crescent was prominent. Tried to get an iPhone shot through the binos through realised I was getting a little desperate so I stopped to preserve what little dignity I had left

 

[Plane38]

I saw it low down in the evening today, much lower down than when I saw it on Monday evening though so doubt I'll manage it tomorrow. Even at such a low altitude the crescent was easy through 8 x 42 binoculars.

It's already visible in the mornings (I saw it Tuesday morning!) and it's getting higher each day there. Inferior conjunction (when the crescent will be thinnest) is on Saturday morning, so it will be just as thin a crescent in the morning sky into next week, and getting easier to see.

[Paz]

Goo to hear it is being seen so close to the sun/horizon. Unfortunately I have not been able to get the time or the clear skies - maybe next time!

[Pete Presland]

Looks like the evening  sessions are over and it will have to be morning now.

[lukebl]

Just found Venus really easily at 14:30 with 8 x 32 bins, just a couple of hours before inferior conjunction. For safety, I hid the sun behind my Obs, and found it immediately a few degrees away. A beautiful thin crescent, even at 8x. Brilliant!