Mercury rising

[Marvin Jenkins]

It’s a funny thing this astronomy lark. Not that long ago I got my first view of Mercury, and it was such a high point that I went out with my camera at sun down and caught a pic of it, which I posted here.

I couldn’t believe for a while that I had actually seen the elusive closest planet to our sun. Every morning I am woken by our two dogs at bang on 7am. After feeding I walk them up the lane and for the last five mornings it has been crystol in the direction of sun rise.

Venus is so bright and obvious, but closer to the brightening horizon is a star too bright to not be Mercury. I have confirmed it by Stellarium two nights ago. This morning I walked the dogs up the lane, said hello to the owl in the building opposite, marvelled at Venus and out loud said “Hi Mercury”.

When I started in this mad caper three years ago I wondered whether I would see anything at all. Now I am doing eyeball astronomy walking the dogs in a dressing gown. To all those beginners..... it is all heading your way. The only reason it may not be obvious is study. I realise now that I have seen some of these things before, but just didn’t know what they were.

Marvin