Moon Occultation of Venus 19th Jun 9am-ish

[Captain Scarlet]

Not sure if it's already been signposted, but around 0900 BST on 19th June it looks as though a 4% Moon will be occulting an 8% Venus. Not sure if it'll be visible at that small phase with each around 23 degrees away from the Sun...

M

Edited June 7, 2020 by Captain Magenta

[CentaurZ]

You beat me to it by hours, Captain; nevertheless I'll post what I had already written.

______________________________________________________________________________

The 4% illuminated waning crescent Moon will occult (cover) magnitude -3.8 crescent Venus on Friday 2020 JUN 19.

Before sunrise the event will be fully visible in portions of Canada near the Atlantic, and as an emersion in New England.

This will be visible to observers in much of Eurasia including the British Isles. However, it will happen during the daytime.

A telescope or binoculars will likely be necessary. Take care to avoid aiming at the Sun.

The immersion will occur on the lunar bright limb, with emersion on the dark limb. Any observers on the graze path can witness an interrupted Venus appearing to pass through lunar hills and valleys. Those north of the only graze path will see a full occultation.

Photos and descriptions of the occultation would be welcome additions to my similar thread in the forum for Observing-Lunar. 

If you would like specific occultation or graze predictions for your location, please reply in my other thread with your longitude, latitude, elevation and time zone.

 

Details for observers in London:

Edited June 13, 2020 by CentaurZ

[happy-kat]

This was covered on tonight's StarGaZine Zoom session by Dave, very good and it is one I hope to try.

[Captain Scarlet]

51 minutes ago, CentaurZ said:

You beat me to it by hours, Captain; nevertheless I'll post what I had already written....

Ah my apologies! I hadn't realized it was such a significant event, else I wouldn't have trespassed on what is most definitely your turf!

Magnus

[CentaurZ]

On 07/06/2020 at 16:29, Captain Magenta said:

Ah my apologies! I hadn't realized it was such a significant event, else I wouldn't have trespassed on what is most definitely your turf!

Magnus

LOL. 😃 Of course you were quite right to to provide a heads-up in this forum as soon as you were aware. You are to be saluted. 

I created my graphics months ago, but was waiting to post until the event time came nearer. The event is not Earth-shattering, but is worth taking the time to watch, as it occurs infrequently for observers at specific locations. What's especially unusual is for Venus to appear as a crescent during an occultation. It may seem unfortunate for the occultation to occur during the daytime in Eurasia, but that's the usual case with the inferior planets. 

Edited June 12, 2020 by CentaurZ

[BinocularSky]

One additional little tip that may help with locating the egress position: use the cusp angle. The cusp angle for my location (approx 50.9N, 1.8E) is 55S, which means that an angle drawn at the centre of the Moon between the southern tip of the illuminated crescent and the egress point will be 55 degrees - or, for the less precise among us, "nearly a third of the way from the bottom to top of the crescent, going around the dark limb (which we can imagine, but probably not see)",

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

IF the weather is good, I hope to use the C8 to image the transit, or perhaps even use two scopes: the C8 with ASI183MC for close-ups and the APM 80 mm F/6 triplet with Meade 2x TeleXtender and Canon EOS 80D for full (lunar) disk shots (with interval timer) 

[bomberbaz]

Be careful trying to find it, you are not that far away from the sun afterall and it only takes one bad move.

I will be getting up early to get the moon into my maks fov mounted with my 60mm spotter and imaging it through that. Watch and shoot as they say.

[Pete Presland]

Weather permitting it should be an interesting event, i will also try and catch the Moon early and follow it up.

[BinocularSky]

20 hours ago, bomberbaz said:

Be careful trying to find it, you are not that far away from the sun afterall and it only takes one bad move.

It's a bit more than 20 degrees away, so should be easy enough to find a location where (say) a building blocks the Sun but allows you to see Venus/Moon. An important thing is not to leave your kit unattended after ingress, unless you cap the aperture (& the finder!); it only takes (say) motor failure and the Sun could be uncomfortably close when you return to try to get egress.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

1 hour ago, BinocularSky said:

It's a bit more than 20 degrees away, so should be easy enough to find a location where (say) a building blocks the Sun but allows you to see Venus/Moon. An important thing is not to leave your kit unattended after ingress, unless you cap the aperture (& the finder!); it only takes (say) motor failure and the Sun could be uncomfortably close when you return to try to get egress.

Good points. The sun will probably be behind a tree at ingress if I pick the location of the scopes right. I will have the mounts running off mains power, so battery failure won't be an issue

 

[CentaurZ]

I might add that before sunrise the event will be fully visible in portions of Canada near the Atlantic, and as an emersion in New England.

[lukebl]

I've been watching the weather forecast closely for this event for the past few days. It's been flitting between sunny, showery and just plain cloudy.

Currently the BBC forecast looks promising, and Clear Outside predicts ... clear outside. Fingers crossed.

Edited June 16, 2020 by lukebl

[bomberbaz]

1 hour ago, lukebl said:

I've been watching the weather forecast closely for this event for the past few days. It's been flitting between sunny, showery and just plain cloudy.

Currently the BBC forecast looks promising, and Clear Outside predicts ... clear outside. Fingers crossed.

sadly my forcast has nver been anything other than rain, and as I type this it has just started raining. 

[maw lod qan]

I'm not sure if it will be visible here in Fla. First, I have trees that give me problems from the observatory.

For the Mercury transit I moved the telescope, but if the angles are wrong and it doesn't occult it in Florida, why move it?

[Paz]

[davhei]

As it looks now there will be clear skies and a decent direction and altitude for the moon from my home. Will set up on my driveway and give it a go for sure.

[lukebl]

21 hours ago, lukebl said:

I've been watching the weather forecast closely for this event for the past few days. It's been flitting between sunny, showery and just plain cloudy.

Currently the BBC forecast looks promising, and Clear Outside predicts ... clear outside. Fingers crossed.

The forecast has now changed to cloudy!

It is amazing to live in a climate where it's still impossible to predict the weather more than two days ahead.

[maw lod qan]

Got out this morning and I can see the Moon where it comes up over the horizon, unlike the planets.

[Nigeyboy]

Clear Outside showing clear skies here in Derby from 6am onwards - I may get lucky!!

 

[bilbo]

Looked at Venus in daylight a few times this year.  Had planned ahead for this. Should be able to see the moon, But Venus is probably impossible due to the minimal illumination. However that’s not going to stop us is it. 

EDIT misread illumination of Venus, Its nearly 8% so definitely on the cards for the entire event. Just the clouds to contend with.

Potentially dangerous and if you’re going to align on sun don’t forget to cover finder.

Steve

Attached view from NE England. Centred on Venus, Just before start.

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by bilbo
Error Corrected

[maw lod qan]

Out again this morning, moon was looking good then surprised to see where Venus was rising from. 

I cant believe how much to the North it is from where Jupiter and Saturn rise from.

Another thing was even showing such a small crescent,  it was very bright.

[davhei]

Clear skies and all set up!

Edited June 19, 2020 by davhei

[AlentejoSkies]

Clear skies here.  Just witnessed a magnificent immersion. Just watching the fine crescent of Venus with the occasional cloud scudding across was already wonderful, and then suddenly the lower surface brightness moon seemed to materialise, almost menacing. Venus looks so spherical at this point. A few friends are passing by on the way to work. Don't lose concentration! I've been manually tracking for the last hour since I lost goto and I don't want to lose Venus now. Immersion takes a while, Venus setting, settling into the moon. And it's over. Time to get the girls to school!

[bomberbaz]

Live facebook feed from lithuania, still hasn't happened there