DEC 28TH - WAXING CRESCENT MOON - Venus only approx 6 degrees to NE

[paulastro]

Went out to look at the thin crescent Moon around 4pm with my binoculars, but couldn't see it from the back of the house.  Walked out of the driveway and about 100 yards up the road and it was then easily visible with the better horizon as I went uphill.   Thought there may be a chance to take a snap so rushed indoors, put the Olympus on the SW 80ED on the AZ5 and dashed up the hill with it as fast as I could.  Set it up between two houses on the pavement and had a fabulous view for about an hour with Venus about 6 degrees to the NE of it making a fine sight, particularly as it got a bit darker.

I took the single frame below at 4.35pm, 1/100 at 800 asa.  Moon 2.47 days and 6.4% Illuminated.  Included a colour version to show what it actually looked like - only 8 degrees altitude when I took the picture.

A young chap out walking with his girlfriend came by and asked what I was doing.  I told him and showed him a magnified image of the Moon on my camera screen at around x140 and he was really thrilled to see the craters, and more thrilled when I told him the bright star nearby was Venus.  They showed a lot of interest and went off very chuffed.  I should have taken their names in case either of them ever becomes a famous astronomer 😄.

Tomorrow night at the same time the Moon will be a little further away the other side of Venus.

EDITED  22.42 pm  Pictures replaced - found a sharper one taken just before the original version.

 

 

Edited December 28, 2019 by paulastro
Pictures replaced with a sharper one.

[mikeDnight]

Very pretty Paul. 

[paulastro]

Thanks Mike, though it wasn't so clever me 'dashing' up the hill with the telescope, my poorly foot feels just a bit more poorly now.  It's a good job I'm such a brave chappie 🤪.

[happy-kat]

Lovely sliver

[Swoop1]

The surface shine effect on the colur image makes it look almost like it could be a still from Gerry Andersons UFO. Lovely.