Venus and a couple of messiers, so far

[John]

Another lovely evening with the Tak 100mm

Venus needed some tree / chimney dodging but I got there at last and was rewarded with a very slender crescent - Venus is just 2.3% illuminated just now.

Mercury should have been visible but I suspect that it was behind the "clutter" that I have near the horizon in that direction

The Moon was looking really nice as the sky darkened. Nice to observe the crater pair Messier and Messier A with deep shadow in their interiors for a change. The rays that extend from Messier A like a faint comets tail across the lunar surface under this illumination.

A thin, high, hazy cloud layer will mean that the Tak turns to double stars now I think.

Basic snap of the Messier craters with mobile phone at eyepiece:

 

[Stu]

Very nice John. A fair amount of cloud around here, but I had a look in a clear patch with the Telementor. As you say, Messier and Messier A are looking good. A very different view to the normal bright craters, but one I possibly prefer?

I’m tucked away now, but hope you have a good session.