Venus Beautiful NOW

[cloudsweeper]

Don't think I've seen her so lovely - crisp, sharp, no glare against a lightish sky - like a silvery mini crescent moon.  x20, x40, x60 in the ED80 frac on GoTo.

Going for some doubles later.

Doug.

Edited April 14, 2020 by cloudsweeper

[Stu]

Hoping to have a look in a little while Doug. Enjoy.

[Davey-T]

Looked good earlier, disappeared behind the rooftops now but just seen a nice bright meteor heading west through Gemini.

Dave

[Stu]

Wasn’t so good for me unfortunately, seeing pants here, tried Venus and some doubles but have called it a night. Glad you’ve got some good skies!

[mikeDnight]

I had a look early in the evening while the planet was still against a brightish blue sky. The seeing was steady and the image sharp. It was a much nicer night than the one previous, which was bitterly cold and windy. Tonight was mild, and the birds were singing their socks off, like extras from Rhubarb & Custard. (If you remember that you're knocking on a bit). Then I've got a pair of wood pigeons who are practicing to be cuckoo's. It's a lovely way to end a lovely day.

[cloudsweeper]

9 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

I had a look early in the evening while the planet was still against a brightish blue sky. The seeing was steady and the image sharp. It was a much nicer night than the one previous, which was bitterly cold and windy. Tonight was mild, and the birds were singing their socks off, like extras from Rhubarb & Custard. (If you remember that you're knocking on a bit). Then I've got a pair of wood pigeons who are practicing to be cuckoo's. It's a lovely way to end a lovely day.

Mike - Rhubarb & Custard - I'm so old my kids remember that show!  🥴

As for wildlife, last evening at dusk I was treated to a virtuoso performance by a bat, darting and weaving very close to me for a minute or so.  Then I did some gazing.  As you say, a lovely end to a day.

Doug.

[DaveL59]

Decided to spend a little time earlier today fiddling with the baby TAL-M to see why the older 32mm TAL-1 eyepieces were a struggle to slide into the focuser. Turns out the original TAL-M 15mm has a chamfored edge and in the focus tube there's a spring clip that sticks out into the path of the eyepiece to grip it. The TAL-1 EP's are more squared hence they catch and seem very hard to insert in the dark. OK so I eased a jewellers blade under the lip and eased it out, gently teased the flat to round off into the curve a bit more, re-installed in the groove and bingo, the TAL-1 EP's now slide in just fine. Brilliant thinks I, will do the same with the barlow, only I was a bit too confident, so as I ease the spring up it turns into a pingfsckit and flies across the room, disappearing into a load of boxes. I'll find it eventually but what the heck. The EP's are quite snug anyways as its all very well machined being TAL.

So back to a test this evening, venus looking great. 25mm plossl gave a nice sharp image albeit small. 15mm kellner also a nice image. 3x barlowed both showed well also and then I thought, hmmm I've the TAL-1 3x barlow. Nope can't focus with it, doesn't insert far enough into the focuser as its a slightly different shape. hmmm so how about trying TAL-M 3x barlow, TAL-1 3x barlow and 25mm plossl. WOW got focus and a nice image to boot! Very impressed with that result. I'd guess that gave me 6x21 mag? so x126 or have I got my math totally wrong on that?

I do love this little reflector, 80mm solid build and 1994 vintage but the mirrors are great and its so easy to just pick up and walk out of the conservatory, plonk it down and start enjoying the great views it gives. If I can get hold of some suitable paint I plan to strip this down and give it a bit of restoration while I'm furloughed  

[Steve2012]

Hi everyone just had my first real view of Venus in my celestron nexstar 8se wow I could see a cresent like the moon has 

It was just fantastic I'm still getting use to the scope I'm not tec minded but I manage in the end  but I must say what a wonderful jewel in the sky.

Steve

[DaveL59]

thought I'd have a look with the TAL-1 tonight since the TAL-M is dismantled partly. With the 1.25-in focuser and mirror raised I used the vixen NPL 20 & 10mm EP's and TAL x3 barlow, lovely view. Even managed to grab a pretty poor pic via the 20mm+x3 barlow, with the eyecup raised it holds the note10+ camera just about the right height and level.

 

Took me a bit of faffing to find the settings for the camera so I could get to advanced mode and set ISO100 etc and get a bit better of a shot...

maybe I should invest in a phone holder to make it a bit easier in future, hmmmm.

Edited April 24, 2020 by DaveL59

[John]

I snapped this one last night through the eyepiece of my Tak 100. Fairly basic mobile phone shot really:

[Paz]

I've been checking Venus out every few nights for a while now, watching it change phase and get closer.

I've got a set up I've settled on after a lot of trying different things, a 102mm f7 refractor, a 4.5mm Delos, and a ND0.9 filter.

This appearance has been the best run at Venus (and the best astronomy weather fundamentally)  I've ever experienced.

[John]

I remember a challenge 3 years back when Venus was well placed, which was to try and catch the slimmest crescent you could. Mike (mikeDnight) "won" I seem to remember but it was fun

Venus gets progressively larger and a touch dimmer as it gets thinner.

This was the slimmest that I managed to get (it's a simulation rather than a sketch) and this was on 20th of March 2017:

[JeremyS]

3 hours ago, John said:

I remember a challenge 3 years back when Venus was well placed, which was to try and catch the slimmest crescent you could. Mike (mikeDnight) "won" I seem to remember but it was fun

I'm actually looking forward to a shoot out between @mikeDnight and @paulastro on this challenge this year. More for the war of words that will ensue between them 🙂

I hear Mike has a new weapon at his disposal though....

[mikeDnight]

[paulastro]

I'm always up for a challenge Jeremy, to keep Mike on his toes if for no other reason 😄.

Reading  Johns comment on a challenge, some three years ago ( 12 or 13 years ago I think ) Mike and I had a challenge on who could see Venus at the smaller crescent phase.  I was in pole position to win, but I was robbed  by the most  un-sportsmanlike behaviour at the end - not worthy of a gentleman!  At the time I was in a lot of pain, waiting to have my right hip replaced, but was gallantly getting out to observe at every opportunity despite this.  Then would you believe it, I was the front runner the day before I had to have my hip replacement.   The next evening, when I was in hospital having my op that dastardly Mike took advantage and made another observation, what a cad! 

Yes, of course I hold a grudge, I'm going to win this time - I'm coming to get you Mike ! 😜

[paulastro]

2017 had slipped my mind Mike, unlike the occasion all those years ago 😄

[Paul M]

I spent some time on Venus last night while I waited for darkness. It's getting nice and large now. Unfortunately is't now zipping along towards conjunction so it'll be lost in twilight before we know it.

I'll miss Venus in the evenings, it's been a great elongation.

[John]

I've just had a look at Venus with my 11x70 binoculars and the phase is clearly visible.

A rather delicate 2.68 day old Moon is below it in the W sky.

 

[JeremyS]

Last evening had some of the best views I've ever had of Venus. Was using the Takahashi TSA 120  under very good seeing conditions. Bright cusp caps, terminator shading, bright limb band and dusky markings.

Started off with the Vixen HR 3.4 (x260), but it was clear that the conditions would support higher mags. So moved  up to  the Vixen HR 2.4 (x370) and HR 2.0 (x441). Did most of the observing at these mags, but also tried the Vixen HR 1.6 (x550) - even here the image wasn't breaking down in the slightest.

Repeated the test of last week where I compared the Vixen HR 3.4 to the Televue 3-6 mm Zoom set to ~3.4. The latter gave fine views, with plenty of detail, but not as crisp as with the Vixen.

If only I had @mikeDnight's draftsman's skills I would have made a sketch.

Certainly an observation to remember!

[mikeDnight]

5 hours ago, paulastro said:

2017 had slipped my mind Mike, unlike the occasion all those years ago 😄

Oh yes! That would be one of those times I beat you Paul. 😂 You did have to go into hospital though, but I was more than happy to take advantage of the situation. 😈

 

[mikeDnight]

4 hours ago, Paul M said:

I spent some time on Venus last night while I waited for darkness. It's getting nice and large now. Unfortunately is't now zipping along towards conjunction so it'll be lost in twilight before we know it.

I'll miss Venus in the evenings, it's been a great elongation.

Plenty of opportunity to follow it for some time yet Paul. If you shield yourself so that the Sun is behind a building or a wall, Venus can be observed until its almost an annulus. 

[Paul M]

9 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

Plenty of opportunity to follow it for some time yet Paul. If you shield yourself so that the Sun is behind a building or a wall, Venus can be observed until its almost an annulus. 

Probably a good idea. I have a fairly high roof line to my immediate west that Venus sets behind, so I should be able to safely catch it before the Sun sets.

I've seen Venus numerous times with the unaided eye in broad daylight with the Sun still high in the sky but never got round to making telescopic observations.

[mikeDnight]

2 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Last evening had some of the best views I've ever had of Venus. Was using the Takahashi TSA 120  under very good seeing conditions. Bright cusp caps, terminator shading, bright limb band and dusky markings.

Started off with the Vixen HR 3.4 (x260), but it was clear that the conditions would support higher mags. So moved  up to  the Vixen HR 2.4 (x370) and HR 2.0 (x441). Did most of the observing at these mags, but also tried the Vixen HR 1.6 (x550) - even here the image wasn't breaking down in the slightest.

Repeated the test of last week where I compared the Vixen HR 3.4 to the Televue 3-6 mm Zoom set to ~3.4. The latter gave fine views, with plenty of detail, but not as crisp as with the Vixen.

If only I had @mikeDnight's draftsman's skills I would have made a sketch.

Certainly an observation to remember!

That's a great report Jeremy.  There seems to be a growing number of observers now on SGL  who are able to detect detail on the cloud tops of Venus. It's very encouraging!

Those HR's are something special aren't they?  It beggars belief that a 120mm telescope can deliver a good image at 550X. Venus is going to get the chance to put on a show in my DZ on Monday evening if the clouds stay away. The 1.6mm HR will only give me a measly 500X. I wonder how it will look when barlowed?! 😁

[JeremyS]

56 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

That's a great report Jeremy.  There seems to be a growing number of observers now on SGL  who are able to detect detail on the cloud tops of Venus. It's very encouraging!

Those HR's are something special aren't they?  It beggars belief that a 120mm telescope can deliver a good image at 550X. Venus is going to get the chance to put on a show in my DZ on Monday evening if the clouds stay away. The 1.6mm HR will only give me a measly 500X. I wonder how it will look when barlowed?! 😁

Indeed, the combination of the Tak and the Vixen HR’s nearly brought a grown man to tears, Mike

🙂

 

[Paz]

15 hours ago, John said:

I've just had a look at Venus with my 11x70 binoculars and the phase is clearly visible.

A rather delicate 2.68 day old Moon is below it in the W sky.

 

We were having an early dinner in the garden and I was looking out for when Venus and the moon would become visible. I picked up Venus ok but the moon took a while longer the position and how it looks being less familiar. I got my quick-reaction-kit out and had a look before started wobbling too much due to proximity to the neighbour's roof heat.

 

I great view at a phase I don't normally see.