Venus in blue sky

[yeti monster]

This evening I was hoping for the double, Mercury and Venus just after sunset.

Sadly, and unsurprisingly, the clouds upto about 10 degrees obscured Mercury from me.

High up, about 40 degrees, the crescent moon was showing in a clear, blue sky.

The sky was clear down to the afore mentioned 10 degrees so I hunted around for Venus, knowing it was there somewhere, but as yet the sky was still to light to spot her visually.

I kept panning and tilting with the 20x60s until there she was, that bright, beautiful, shining pebble in the still pale twilight.

I lowered the binoculars to see if I could now find her unaided. I could, just about, having already found her. To the left I spotted and aircraft laying out a vapour trail, a quick look at that with the binos, then back to Venus.

As I was watching Venus the aircraft came into the FOV, flaring in the sunlight, heading directly for Venus. Half expecting to see an almighty explosion, I watched the aircraft pass across Venus, then followed it as the flaring intensified.

Returning to Venus I noticed now how her colour was changing as she dropped further into the dusk, turning from the bright white to yellow, then a pale orange, but always so bright and shining.

As clouds passed through the FOV I could still see Venus, more defined as a disc as the reflected light became filtered by the clouds.

The crescent moon had brightened, the sky had darkened and Venus started to drop into the 10 degree hazy obscurity that stretched across the horizon.

I said good night to my dear, sweet Venus and headed in for dinner, where chef had put aside my favourite, hot, diced, chilli chicken knuckles.

It was a beatuiful evening.

http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-sketches-unconventional/99887-venus-crescent-moon-e-sketch.html#post1399707

[Darren B]

Good report, I like viewing Venus when the sky is still blue.

[brianb]

I like viewing Venus when the sky is still blue.

It's a total waste of time looking a Venus in a dark sky (even when well placed) - too bright, too low. Best in full daylight, with suitable precations to avoid getting the Sun into the field of view of course.

[yeti monster]

I am feeling so frustrated about not having a scope out here. I know with 150-200 magnification Venus would look stunning right now (well, not right now, 'cos she's set).

[AztecastroMcJ]

had try myself last evening but too cloudy for Venus

could just see cresent moon thru clouds

maybe try again later today

[yeti monster]

Watching the sunset this evening I could follow the deep red orb all the way to the horizon. There was about 5 degrees of fugg, with another 5 degrees of filth above that. Higher than this was clear twilight of pastel shades from a rather deep pink, through to yellow, then a sudden change to the blues, deepening with altitude.

After wasting valuable minutes waiting in vain for ISS to fly past to the North i turned back West and hunted for any sign of Mercury. nothing, i guess it's still too low to show by the time it's dark enough.

I found Venus, bright as ever. It took a while before i was able to see her unaided, but she, as always, willingly obliged my gaze through the 20x50s until I was able to enjoy the full spectacle of the magenta sky, with that single, crazy, diamond suspended in the heavens.

I remained until she had dropped into the now indigo dusk, still bright, still beautiful, still Venus.

[Starfleet]

This reminded me to go over my notebook where I kept a log of all my stargazing going back to the year 1985.

I had seen Venus on two occasions in complete daylight with my 8x30s. On 10th Feb 1985 at around 1315 UT, having swept around for several mins, I picked up Venus as a tiny white speck of light set against a perfect blue sky. At the time I was quite thrilled...as I had never seen anything apart from the moon in the daytime before.

I took great care though to sweep the binos in a part of the sky well away from the sun, as Venus was on a decent elongation at the time.

Then on 16th Feb 1985 (at around 10am) I found Venus again in broad daylight about 15 degrees above ESE. with the binoculars mounted on the window frame, I even managed to resolve its tiny disc into a thick crescent phase.

With no glare or dazzle, I found it much easer to see the disc and phase of the planet in these daytime observations compared to evening time when the sky had gotten much darker.

Ah, those were the good old days..

[LukeSkywatcher]

Venus when observed with my 20X90s always looks like a very bright peanut/kidney dish. I can never seem to get any kind of focus on it. Maybe i am getting focus but its hard to tell because its so bright and has no real features.

[Talitha]

Venus is also easy to see in full daylight without optical aid.. it looks like a shiny, silver jet.