Identical Crescents - A Great Start To The Day!

[cloudsweeper]

Having been frustrated by poor skies on recent evenings, I was pleased to glance out at 6.05am this morning and see a clear sky.  Even better, looking low to SE, there was a lovely slim waning crescent Moon and Venus close by.  A quick view from the front of the house through the 10 x 50s showed that Venus's crescent had the same orientation, and the rest of the Moon's disc was a very clear pale grey - a most pleasing sight overall.

By 6.25, the pair could seen from the garden with the Bresser Dob, although they were low and a few bamboo leaves were getting in the way.  Everything was of course clearer and more stable than with the binos.  Flitting between Venus and the Moon was a real delight - they were almost identical in shape, both with horns pointing downwards.  The Moon was much paler, and showed a little detail beyond the terminator, whereas Venus was a smaller and more brilliant version, with about a third of its disc illuminated.

6.40 - time for breakfast, after an unexpected and wonderful start to the day!

Doug.

 

[NGC 1502]

 

Great, saw this too from my south facing bedroom window.........fabulous ?

Ed.

[stevend]

I have just done the same thing myself and also with 10x50 binoculars.

[Littleguy80]

Great stuff, Doug. You performed a miracle this morning. Instead of stubbornly lying in bed, arms crossed, repeating “don’t wanna go to work”, I read your report and jumped right up out bed for a look myself. Great views with the 10x50s. As you say, a great start to the day  

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I got the same view this morning. The crescent of Venus is smaller and fatter than it was a week or two ago, but the similarity is striking

[Demonperformer]

Agreed. It was a lovely finale to a few hours' imaging.

[Stu]

Great stuff Doug. I had some lovely naked eye views as I left the house at 6.50 this morning.

[Rob]

Ditto Stu. Such a crisp clear morning in Southampton.. the earth shine on the moon was stunning!

[cloudsweeper]

6 hours ago, Littleguy80 said:

Great stuff, Doug. You performed a miracle this morning. Instead of stubbornly lying in bed, arms crossed, repeating “don’t wanna go to work”, I read your report and jumped right up out bed for a look myself. Great views with the 10x50s. As you say, a great start to the day  

Glad I got you to share the spectacle with the rest of us, Neil!

D.