Daytime Mercury

[lukebl]

Hi.

Just had a good view of Mercury in broad daylight (9.15 BST this morning).

Obviously NOT TO BE RECOMMENDED DUE TO DANGER OF BLINDNESS unless you are properly prepared (it's only about 12 degrees from the sun at the moment. Fortunately the wall of the obsy screened the sun, but Mercury was just in view). My scope is really well aligned on its pier, so I set the Synscan to Mercury and there it was right in the centre.

It's pretty bright at mag -1 so easy to see. I could just about make out the gibbous phase with the 9mm eyepiece (111x) although seeing was truly atrocious. Took a low-magnification video on the webcam, but didn't even attempt to get a proper image due to the bad seeing.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Did it show up on the vid?

Can you post the vid clip please.

Thanks.

Paul

[lukebl]

Did it show up on the vid?

Can you post the vid clip please.

Thanks.

Paul

It's just a wobbly dot against a blue background. But I have a go if I can work it out (not sure how to post a video!)

[LukeSkywatcher]

Don't worry about it. I was just thinking if you had the clip to hand and could throw it up.

[lukebl]

Click here to see the video. Well, I did warn you it was just a wobbly dot!

[LukeSkywatcher]

Well its clearly a planet. That's for sure. Well done for finding it is broad daylight. I tried to follow Jupiter the other morning from 4am. I lost it to the daylight at about 5am.

[marcdearn]

That is pretty much how I saw it through a friendly neighbours scope (Sorry..I forget your name!) at SGL5...

I am just pleased I saw it!