Re: OT: Astrophotos [Re: Scouts doing Platinum?]

On 20 Oct, 13:08, David Patrick
<"webmaster"@[mydistrict]scouts.org.uk> wrote:
David Patrick wrote:
Edward wrote:
..... I got up in the small hours for the usual and saw a very
bright object on the Eastern horizon. Looking at 'heavens-above' now
I deduce it is probably Saturn. It is very close to Venus at the mo'
so if I had checked a bit later, she might have been visible as well.

Brilliant! Saves me a search. I saw it to when I was called out at 5am.
I saw it and thought it was an aircraft - it was only after I noticed it
had not moved that I realised it must have been something else - and
here we are, you have given me the answer.

Cheers!

Might even have been Venus we were looking at.

It almost certainly was! Saturn too is a early morning object at the
moment but it'll be a little higher and a little further west.

From Jodrell Bank's website:

"...Venus is now shining brightly dominating the eastern pre-dawn sky!
It was at is very brightest in late September but still shines at
magnitude -4.7 - the brightest object in the sky apart from the Moon!

Erm....

.....and the Sun (Mag -26).

Viewing it with a telescope will reveal a 38% illuminated crescent...."

Venus is a nice easy object to look at but not very interesting. It's
mega thick atmosphere of CO2 and H2SO4 clouds prevent any glimpse of
the surface. Unless you've got a decent sized scope you won't even get
any cloud detail - even with one cloud detail is poor. As it orbits
inside the Earth's orbit Venus shows phases and these can be
interesting to look at.


http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/public/nskyoct07.html

Very useful site, and they also offer a monthly podcast describing the
night sky for the next four weeks.

Yes a vg site.

GAGS

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: OT: Astrophotos [Re: Scouts doing Platinum?]
    ... bright object on the Eastern horizon. ... I deduce it is probably Saturn. ... It is very close to Venus at the mo' ...
    (uk.rec.scouting)
  • Re: OT: Astrophotos [Re: Scouts doing Platinum?]
    ... bright object on the Eastern horizon. ... I deduce it is probably Saturn. ... Might even have been Venus we were looking at. ... heavens-above map, I had though that Venus would still be below my ...
    (uk.rec.scouting)
  • Re: Very bright object....
    ... > Not hugely experienced at this but would imagine someone in here will ... > have no problem telling me what the very bright object in the west sky ... Do a search for a freeware/shareware sky viewing program, ... anticlockwise from Venus, at a height of around 45degees. ...
    (uk.sci.astronomy)
  • Re: OT: Astrophotos [Re: Scouts doing Platinum?]
    ... David Patrick wrote: ... bright object on the Eastern horizon. ... It was at is very brightest in late September but still shines at magnitude -4.7 - the brightest object in the sky apart from the Moon! ...
    (uk.rec.scouting)
  • Re: Anyone shoot the eclipse?
    ... Very nice - how did you get the stars? ... the bright object to the left of the moon may be Saturn. ...
    (rec.photo.digital)