Venus / Moon

[bal...@comcast.net]

Hi Stockton Astronomical Society:

I wanted to get this out now since I won’t be able to when I’ve left for the eclipse.

 

On April 7^th, one day before the eclipse, Venus and the Moon will make an extremely close visitation. They will only be about 14 or 15 degrees west of the Sun, so finding them will be no fun. The Moon will be such a slim crescent and so close to the Sun that it may not be immediately seen. However, in the telescope, Venus ought to be readily findable, and the limb of the Moon will be less than ½ a degree from Venus [as viewed from Texas]. Here in CA, I haven’t figured it up yet, but it’ll be close. My plans are, if it’s clear, to find Venus in the scope, then attempt to photograph theme both in the scope, even if I cant visually see the Moon. Here is a view from TheSky for Texas for the morning of April 7^th. You can’t see it on this image, but the illuminated part of the Moon is a thin crescent on the left side. I am hoping that some of the members will get a photograph of these two together. It’ll be abroad daylight event. By the way, be extremely cautious, trying to find things that are this close to the Sun can result in goofs that will fry your eye out.

 

 

 

Good luck, and if you get a shot of it, please share it out to the club right here on this group. Thanks,

Baldy

 

 

Jeff Baldwin

Lathrop, CA