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  #21  
Old 08-08-2015, 05:37 PM
Tropo-Bob (Bob)
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Venus set at 6.25pm tonight, on the left-hand side of the tree spoken about in yesterday's observation. So in a horizontal sense, Venus is moving south away from where the Sun sets, but then the Sun itself is moving south (being past our Summer Solstice), probably at a faster rate.
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  #22  
Old 08-08-2015, 08:37 PM
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Benjamin (Ben)
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I enjoyed reading your observation of Venus Bob. "Prominent-tree-henge" certainly gives a bigger sense of our planetary motions :-)
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  #23  
Old 09-08-2015, 05:32 PM
Tropo-Bob (Bob)
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Venus set at 6.19 tonight, again to the left hand side of the tree, just a tiny bit further left than yesterday. I really did not expect it to be so close, so I wish I had taken a little more care with yesterday's observation. To give an indication of scale, I estimate that if there was 7 to 10 of this tree in a row, it would equal the width of a full Moon.

I tried to see Venus's rather-large crescent with my naked eye, but really could not see anything.
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  #24  
Old 10-08-2015, 05:30 PM
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For me, Venus set at 6.12 tonight, still behind the 'prominent' tree, though to the right of where it has set the last 2 evenings. I take this as meaning that Venus is now moving in a northerly direction. Venus is clearly decreasing it distance from the Sun in both a vertical (through setting time) and in a horizontal sense (moving to the right whilst the Sun is moving left when setting behind the Mountain ridge).
It is obvious that making these observations will become increasingly difficult each day from now on.
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  #25  
Old 11-08-2015, 05:22 PM
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I tried to be a bit more accurate tonight, and estimate that Venus set at 6.06:40 give or take 5 seconds. (I lost too much time putting my reading glasses on!)

Venus moved a little to the right again this evening (as in real life, not left as it appeared with the star diagonal), so this means that it is moving north.

It still set behind the tree and really only a fraction to right of where it set last night. This surprised me, as I cheated and looked up Venus's coordinates and I was expecting it to move a significant amount to the north this evening.

It struck me tonight that the angle of the planet's phase is shifting. I estimated the angle to be about 50 to 60 degrees with respect to the horizon, so I will attempt to see if this changes in the next few days.

This was the first evening when I was not able to detect Venus visually with the naked eye.

I hope my luck holds with the weather.

Can anybody tell me what the separation between the Sun & Venus will be at Inferior Conjunction.
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  #26  
Old 12-08-2015, 05:16 PM
Tropo-Bob (Bob)
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Venus set at 6.00.14 tonight, on the extreme right-hand side of the tree. I tried using filters tonight to see if this made viewing Venus easier. The red filters seemed to help a little, the darker red being better.
I had problems with light cloud tonight and found it difficult to estimate if the angle of the phase was different from last evenings.

To answer my own question from yesterday, I found a site that stated that Venus will be 8 degrees from the Sun at Inferior Conjunction. Given that the Sun is setting on a higher part of the mountain ridgeline than Venus, and that Venus is to the South of the Sun (meaning it sets later)I do have hopes of being able to see it at Inferior Conjunction.
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  #27  
Old 13-08-2015, 05:04 PM
Tropo-Bob (Bob)
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Venus passed to the right of the tree and set at 5.53.57. Thus. moving up vertically and horizontally moving right (to the North).
The horns of the phase were difficult to line up because Venus is no longing the easy object that it normally is and there is too much atmospheric turbulence at that low attitude. To make it worse, my mind kept doing that psychological effect of closing the circle. Hmm.
I was able to spot Venus about 15 mins before it set, so this gives me great hope that I will still see it at Inferior Conjunction.
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  #28  
Old 14-08-2015, 05:19 PM
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I was blessed with a clear evening tonight with a steady atmosphere. The phase of Venus was much more vertical tonight; I estimate it to be at angle of approx. 75 degrees from the horizontal.
The phase itself seemed to only go about 150 degrees around the planet.

I first located Venus with at aid of a red filter at 5.35. I viewed it without a filter when it set at 5.47. I had company tonight and unfortunately the seconds did not stay in my memory.

Venus again moved north, but still would be less than a Moon's width from where I first viewed it when I commenced this series of observations.

Some showers are forecast for tomorrow, but I can only hope and try.
When Venus sets tomorrow, it will only be about 12 hours short of being at Inferior Conjunction.
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  #29  
Old 15-08-2015, 06:01 PM
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Despite clear skies and good conditions, I could not see Venus today. Is it because the planet has become 'backlit' and no longer showing a distinct phase? I don't know, but it was disappointing.

I later saw Mercury, and as I type (7pm), it is about to set in the same place that Venus has been setting.

Apparently, Mercury will be close to the new Moon tomorrow evening.
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  #30  
Old 04-01-2016, 09:18 PM
Tropo-Bob (Bob)
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I decided to try my old classic Unitron (60mm, F15, altz mount) on a few targets tonight to see what this undersized classic can do. I normally only use it on the Moon and the Sun (with appropriate filters). It gave a the best image of Venus transit in 2012 of all my scopes.

I started on the Orion nebula and off course, it was somewhat faint. Yet, I was surprised of the good texture that showed within the Nebula. (at 36x)

Then to the nearby, multiple star Sigma. Three star were visible at both 36x & 100x; the fourth star being simply to faint.

Rigel: I could not see the companion, even at 100x.

M1 was visible at 36x (barely).

M41 was notable, but shows much better in a larger scope.

Beta Monoceros showed all three components at 100x, only 2 at 36x.

I could see M31 and it brighter, more condense companion galaxy, but not the other more diffuse companion.

Gamma Andromeda was split at 36x, but showed better at 100x. The colour contrast was easily seen.

That was my quick tour that took less than 15minutes. It was probably not long enough for my eyes to become properly dark-adapted.

And it was a very easy task to pick up the feather-weight telescope and carry it back inside.

(I took some photos of the scope on the weekend, but am having problems downloading them from my new mobile; I will try again next weekend).
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  #31  
Old 06-01-2016, 07:19 PM
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With Suzy's report that Comet PanSTARRS is brightening unexpectedly, I will try for that tonight.
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  #32  
Old 06-01-2016, 08:44 PM
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I observed Comet PanSTARRS with the same telescope that I observed Comet Calalina with this morning. (Vixen 102mm ED; 30x).
PanSTARRS was much fainter, probably about 2 magnitudes fainter than Calalina, and slightly less than half as wide (so about 1/5 of the area). There was no hint of a tail. It was properly dark when I observed (8.20ish). I could not see the Comet with 10x50 binoculars.
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  #33  
Old 06-01-2016, 09:21 PM
glend (Glen)
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After five days and nights of constant rain I would like to see any star again.
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  #34  
Old 14-02-2016, 03:48 PM
Tropo-Bob (Bob)
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I am planning an easy night, looking at what I personally describe as bi-visual doubles in Volans. Bi-visual is my description for when a double star has two stars that each would be visible to the eye if they were solo.

Gamma Volans is a wide double with components of Mag 3.9 & 5.4 according to Haas. Similarly, Kappa Volans is very wide, with Mag 5.3 & 5.6 components.

My main interest in double stars centres on bi-visual doubles. I always find it fascinating that what looks to be one star visually has another star hiding in plain sight. More famous examples of bi-visual stars are Castor & Alpha Centaurus.
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  #35  
Old 14-02-2016, 05:57 PM
bigjoe (JOSEPH)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tropo-Bob View Post
I decided to try my old classic Unitron (60mm, F15, altz mount) on a few targets tonight to see what this undersized classic can do. I normally only use it on the Moon and the Sun (with appropriate filters). It gave a the best image of Venus transit in 2012 of all my scopes.

I started on the Orion nebula and off course, it was somewhat faint. Yet, I was surprised of the good texture that showed within the Nebula. (at 36x)

Then to the nearby, multiple star Sigma. Three star were visible at both 36x & 100x; the fourth star being simply to faint.

Rigel: I could not see the companion, even at 100x.

M1 was visible at 36x (barely).

M41 was notable, but shows much better in a larger scope.

Beta Monoceros showed all three components at 100x, only 2 at 36x.

I could see M31 and it brighter, more condense companion galaxy, but not the other more diffuse companion.

Gamma Andromeda was split at 36x, but showed better at 100x. The colour contrast was easily seen.

That was my quick tour that took less than 15minutes. It was probably not long enough for my eyes to become properly dark-adapted.

And it was a very easy task to pick up the feather-weight telescope and carry it back inside.

(I took some photos of the scope on the weekend, but am having problems downloading them from my new mobile; I will try again next weekend).
Hello Bob .

I used to look at these very same objects in my 4" Unitron alt az , which I stupidly sold about 20 years ago; purchased from Astro in Crows Nest.

How good were these scopes! And how good are Beta Monoceros, Almaak, Iota Cancri, 145 Canis Majoris etc- MORE double star observing folks!


bigjoe.
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  #36  
Old 26-05-2017, 04:56 PM
Tropo-Bob (Bob)
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Comet Johnson

Comet Johnson is almost at maximum brightness (Current prediction is mag 6.8.) It is currently located near Epsilon Bootes.

I hope to see this later tonight.
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  #37  
Old 26-05-2017, 08:19 PM
Tropo-Bob (Bob)
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Comet Johnson

Comet Johnson appears are a rather defuse smudge with no obvious head or nucleus. Comparing it to M3, it is of similar size but aprox 2 magnitudes fainter. I estimated it to be no brighter than mag 7.5.

There seemed something odd about its shape. Maybe the beginning of the tail made the nucleus appear obligated. I would love to see an image.

Within 10 minutes, I did notice some movement.

The observation was made with a 80mm F6 Triplet and a 14mm Radian. There has been lots of clouds so its not a great night for viewing.
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  #38  
Old 26-05-2017, 08:23 PM
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Just been outside trying from Coburg in Melbourne with 7x50 bins but no sighting. There is just too much light pollution. I need to be home under my dark skies in Tassie with a larger scope!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tropo-Bob View Post
Comet Johnson is almost at maximum brightness (Current prediction is mag 6.8.) It is currently located near Epsilon Bootes.

I hope to see this later tonight.
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  #39  
Old 26-05-2017, 11:23 PM
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OzEclipse (Joe Cali)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinderboxsky View Post
Just been outside trying from Coburg in Melbourne with 7x50 bins but no sighting. There is just too much light pollution. I need to be home under my dark skies in Tassie with a larger scope!
Tried it under dark skies tonight with 7x35 binoculars. Almost drowning in dew by 730pm, camera lenses fogging so didn't set up the scope.

Joe
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  #40  
Old 27-05-2017, 06:06 AM
OffGrid (Steve)
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Thanks Bob for heads up on Comet 2015 V2. ( Johnson ).

With assist from SkiSafari 5 Pro and this link http://members.westnet.com.au/mmatti/sc.htm I was able to find it.

From our lit up skies at around 22:00 last night, I could nearly make out something with avert vision in 7x50 bino's and confirmed that with a little blob in the GSO 10" dob with a 2" 30mm eyepiece from Bintel.
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