Crescent moon with Earthshine, Mercury [and Venus through a telescope]
Taken by Mark Seibold on May 25, 2020 @
Cannon Beach Oregon
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Date Taken: 2020:05:27 14:40:23
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Details:
Most people are familiar with seeing bright Venus in the Western Sky for this past spring 2020 season. Yet most people will never see Mercury in their lifetime. the two planets and the Crescent Moon are perfectly placed right now for a special observation event.
As most people do not own optics it would be beneficial to at least use binoculars and look at the Crescent of Venus, noting how large it is even in modest binoculars.
If you can no access to a modest telescope the next few nights to observe Venus is very special. Actually see the planet eclipsing itself.
this is because Venus is running on the inner track, faster than us and it slides between the Earth and the Sun in the next few days.
if you are ready at sunset you should be observing Venus while it's still in daylight to see this spectacular sight. What is the very large sunlit Crescent but you may also notice a complete ring of light. You're seeing the planet on its backside unlit by Sun you have to send light refracts through the planet's atmosphere completing the circle of light.
this only last for a few days as the planet passes between us and the Sun. In some years it will Transit the Sun as it did in 2012.
*If you at least have binoculars, you should use them, and be ready just as the sun sets. do not wait too much after sunset because Venus becomes very low and soon disappears over the Western horizon. Yet Mercury will still remain out in the general Western Sky, at least about 10 degrees above The Horizon until it soon sinks low by 9:30 PM, and soon sets. The moon of course is moving a little higher in the southwest Sky each night but eventually sets by late evening before midnight. As the moon moves further east each night through the remainder of this week, it becomes fuller in phase and will remain in the sky for most of the night.
*Use this photo as a rough guide only for the next few nights...
*Venus in fast decreasing crescent phase May 26th 2020 from Tolovana Park Cannon Beach.
A Sony NEX 5R was tripod mounted over a Meade Super Plossl 32mm eyepiece producing 39x magnification, with a Celestron Nexstar 5i Cassegrain with equatorial tracking. The planet was low on the horizon over the ocean through atmosphere and clouds, as the distortions degraded the image considerably.
This near circle of light in seen to be enwraping Venus's circumference, was more so noted as observed in live real time observation through the telescope eyepiece.
*Yet the thin crescent is visible here, but more so the continuous atmospheric lighted circle of Venus' disc this when visible. It is much more difficult to photograph this event than it is to simply observe it, during this very short window of opportunity. To photograph it it must be attempted on the planet is is high above the Horizon as possible. It is actually more attainable to photograph this event are the planet is still in daylight with the sun still above the horizon. So there are several conditions to be met which are difficult to manage, due to the constraints of the sun's intense light still being above the horizon. This can still be achieved in the next few evenings, but it becomes increasingly difficult as the planet nears the proximity of the sun's direct light in the sky. Needless to mention the dangers which must be advised against. As astronomers we are required to inform the public to never look directly at the sun's disk through concentrated optics, which are not properly filtered to view the sun safely.
The first time I've ever witnessed this. Tonight on May 26th 2020 I'll observe this again, from Portland this time, and possibly allow others to experience this live as observed through the telescope tonight, from a high hilltop somewhere in the Portland metro region.
Photographer's website:
https://Facebook.com/mark.seibold
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