Mercury
Taken by Michael Rosolina on October 21, 2021 @
Friars Hill, WV, USA
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Camera Used: Canon Canon EOS REBEL T5i
Exposure Time: 4/10
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 1600
Date Taken: 2021:10:21 06:51:33
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Details:
Well, I got lucky and spotted Mercury this morning but there was a very narrow window of opportunity--basically between about 6:40 and 7:00 o'clock EDT. It looks like our short run of fine weather here is about to end so I decided to try for it even though it won't reach greatest western elongation until the 24th.
I don't have a good view of the eastern horizon unless I go up to a high point on my farm. I was up in my meadows with the camera set up and tested out waiting for Mercury to appear from about 6:00. I scanned the ridgetop to my east with my 12x36 image stabilised binoculars but saw nothing for a long time--no stars at all. I was afraid that clouds or haze might be obscuring the horizon. The full moon was really bright and the eastern sky was beginning to glow with twilight.
Then I spotted a point of light a little to the north of where I expected to see Mercury. It was flashing red and green and white so at first I thought it was airplane navigation lights. I studied it through the binoculars and was sure it was an airplane. I could see another light above and to the left of the first light. It too was flashing red and green. But neither of the lights was moving--I'm thinking whaat? Then I realized it was Mercury and Porrima (Mercury is in Virgo) and the flashing was atmospheric dispersion.
By then, I could see Mercury with the unaided eye but not mag 3.6 Porrima. I put the camera on the pair, focused, and took a few different exposures. This one is a single 4 tenths second unprocessed exposure--Canon T5i, f/4.5, 70mm, ISO 1600.
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