First Venus

[legion48]

I noticed Venus about a couple of inched above the roofline this evening and it was setting fast. I didn't have time to take more than a couple of 20 sec 10 fps avi's. It had set before I sorted out he focus and exposure to satisfaction. Anyway, here it is.

[geppetto]

Nice one 8)

Worth imaging Venus to see it turn to a crescent over time

[barkis]

Good effort there. The planet looks gibbous to me. I don't know where Venus is in it's orbit at present. I will need to fire up my S/N Pro. to find out.

Venus is a difficult subject . I wonder if anyone in the group has managed to see the ashen light on the planet during its crescent phase.

Or am I being stupid. And you may answer.

Barkis.

[Astroman]

I wonder if anyone in the group has managed to see the ashen light on the planet during its crescent phase.

Or am I being stupid. And you may answer.

Barkis.

Not stupid, perfectly legit question.

If you're referring to the equivalent of "Earthshine" such as seen on the Moon, then you're just mistaken, that's all. Since Venus has no moon to reflect sunlight on the unlit side, there is no ashen light to observe. There is an extremely rare phenomenon that is unique to Venus, though. Before Venus enters superior conjunction, that is, passes between us and the Sun, it is possible, though extremely difficult and even dangerous, to see the atmosphere lit by the Sun with the planet itself showing as a dark object, something like an annular eclipse. It can be seen when Venus passes well below or above the disk of the Sun as seen from our perspective. It's made possible by the extreme density of Venus' atmosphere refracting sunlight.

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

AM, I think he's refering to this kind of stuff http://www-ssc.igpp.ucla.edu/personnel/russell/papers/ashen/

Apparently, from my quick Google it's somewhere between a legend, an urban myth and pseudoscience. It's been reported loads of times but not categorically confirmed as being real. Very interesting stuff I think. I'd read recently about the ashen light phenomenon, the book I was reading (one of a large pile by my bed ) was clear about it being an auroral display caused by the very intense solar wind.

Not stupid Barkis, as the first guy to see it died hundreds of years ago, so his 'scope must have been rubbish compared to what you or I can get hold of these days.

Interesting stuff.

Captain Chaos