Lunar occultaion of Venus - nearly. Damn clouds...!!

[geoflewis]

I was encouraged by Kostas @Kon to have a try at this rare event this morning. What promised to be clear skies 30 minutes before the event turned to cloud. I got the Moon and Venus in my finder scope no problem but couldn't see anything on the sensor, so after thrashing around for ages, I thought I try the IR filter, which revealed that I'd left the CH4 filter in position, so no wonder nothing was showing. I just had time to get them on the chip, but then cloud. I'd also messed up focus hunting for something through the CH4 filter......

I sat and waited then a glimpse, so hit capture for 1 minute. I useds PIPP to cut the best 500 frames, ran those through AS3! + Registax and here's what I got...

Yeah right...!! I got a lot of doughtnuts and smears, boy does that sensor cover need a bath. Can you see the faint edge of the Moon at the top 1/3rd of the image? Good hunting...!!

I decided greyscale processing might show it better, so after heavy cropping and clone stamping out the donughts, etc. (badly), here's my final version...

Moon underexposed, Venus overexposed, everything out of focus, but I guess I can claim to have something....🙄. I wonder whether anyone else had better luck, sadly I know that Kostas didn't....

[Kon]

I am glad you got it after our messages; a good image for the record. At least you got to collect something unlike my frustration 🤣...I can laugh about it now (my wife is still laughing at my expense).

[geoflewis]

Thanks Kostas, I know very well about a laughing wife, though I get more eye rolls than laughs from mine when I'm having a hissy fit about the weather ruining my hobby....😳

[Space Cowboy]

You know what they say, it's the taking part that counts 🙂

[Pete Presland]

It was so annoying, i took the gear to work secured a lunch break at the right time as well.................those clouds!!!!!!!!!