Venus/Jupiter Conjunction 12-11-17

[johnfosteruk]

I had lovely views of this conjunction this morning. Up at 5 for a little lunar first of all, perfectly clear but as always cloudy by the time I'd set up. Just had to wait 15 minutes for it to clear though and I was at it. 

I packed up after gathering some lunar data and by about 06:30 I was pitched up with the camera and 200mm lens with a clear horizon at the local park. There was a big bank of cloud low down to the south east which wasn't nice but 7° is higher up than you think and there they were. 

Venus was shining bright and Jupiter just about visible naked eye at first but the sky was brightening quickly so I had a look with 8x40 bins which was very nice, both planets shining against the colourful sky background.

Then a few photographs for posterity with a little bit of lunar hide and seek too.

[Scooot]

Nice images, I’m hoping to see these tomorrow when our forecast looks a bit better.

[Mr niall]

Nice shots - set the alarm early myself but cloud ruined play (I know I know, almost unheard of for the midlands but it does happen sometimes...) 

[Stu]

Very nice John. Hoping for clear skies tomorrow

[wookie1965]

Same here cloudy this morning forecast says clear tonight.

[johnfosteruk]

1 hour ago, Scooot said:

Nice images, I’m hoping to see these tomorrow when our forecast looks a bit better.

Me too. Today was sort of a practice run. The forecast for tomorrow is cracking.

[Scooot]

I’m not sure whether to try and image it with my dob on the EQ platform or my 60mm frac at f10. It’ll be bigger with the dob but sharper & very small with the frac. ?

[johnfosteruk]

2 minutes ago, Scooot said:

I’m not sure whether to try and image it with my dob on the EQ platform or my 60mm frac at f10. It’ll be bigger with the dob but sharper & very small with the frac. ?

Sharpness every time 

 

[Dave In Vermont]

Socked-in clouds here - I'll be trying again, too.

Good luck all!

Dave

[Paul M]

I saw the pair this morning on my way home from a night shift. I'll be sleeping tomorrow morning so won't see the best of it. Just a shame it didn't happen near Venus' maximum elongation, in a black sky.

It's going to need a really low and clear horizon to allow an observer to get a good view in a reasonably dark sky.

 

[goodricke1]

Whew!... that cloud bank just about held off the eastern horizon From central Ireland -

[JOC]

I missed it this morning, woke up and looked out about 7am, but it had been and gone.  However, I am awake and about around 5am tomorrow.  I won't have the time to point a telescope at it, but if it will be up around then??  I do have a Canon Rebel T3, and a 70-210mm zoom lens and a cable release.  I could leave it all set up and in my cool porch. 

The thing is I am not overly skilled or practised at taking pictures of stars or things in the night sky - if some one could let me know what basic settings I need to have on the camera to get the correct exposure it might help me make the most of what very small amount of time I will have.

[johnfosteruk]

8 hours ago, JOC said:

- if some one could let me know what basic settings I need to have on the camera to get the correct exposure it might help me make the most of what very small amount of time I will have.

You want to focus manually use zoomed live view to get it sharp.  This morning I shot at f8, iso 100 1/15s

[johnfosteruk]

8 hours ago, goodricke1 said:

Whew!... that cloud bank just about held off the eastern horizon From central Ireland -

The belt of Venus - and Jupiter!

[JOC]

20 minutes ago, johnfosteruk said:

You want to focus manually use zoomed live view to get it sharp.  This morning I shot at f8, iso 100 1/15s

Excellent, many thanks.  I'll chuck the kit into the porch and see if it's clear of the tree line by the time I'm outside.  Eastern horizon......Mmmm.....struggling to find Jupiter on Stellarium, maybe I haven't got the time settings right - I'll continue to fiddle, but I bet if they are up there they are not difficult to spot!

[JOC]

Oh, No......I left Stellarium running and I'm going to be too early - it doesn't clear the horizon until 6am-ish - I shall be tearing down the A12 at that time!