Phase of Venus

[Uchtungbaby]

I just took my first photo of Venus. I used a 125mm Hugo reflector and a digital zoom camera.

Someone may correct me if you like because I'm not exactly sure. It appears that Venus is exhibiting a phase much like the phases of illumination on the Moon.

I interpreted the planet as exhibiting an almost half moon type of phase since I noticed that part of the disk is missing.

Is anyone with a larger telescope getting a picture of Venus which shows it in a particular phase?:)

http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/2150/halfvenusamg7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Jarrod]

your absolutly right, because venus is closer to the sun then us we see it in phases much like the moon. it is currently approaching us as it comes around the right of the sun. as it gets closer less of its suface will be illuminated until it is almost directly between us and the sun, at which piont venus will not be visible to us.

jarrod.

[Uchtungbaby]

Thanks for that information. You didn't happen to look at it recently. I'm just wondering if my interpretation is correct. It is just short of a half moon phase.

I'm actually quite excited by the photo. It shows a slight decline in light at the base of the half moon image. I bet that is a shadow receding or impeding on the planet surface.:)

[erick]

This site has a photo of what it will look like in late July.

http://www.caribooskies.com/solarsystem/venus.htm

This will be the first time I've seen the crescent form of Venus in this detail - I'm looking forward to it.

[Uchtungbaby]

Thanks for that link.

Years ago I had a telescope which was a 125mm as well. I caught Venus when it looked a little bit like a shard of fingernail.

It was a really fine fleck of light running around the planet like an incomplete ring.

I'd love to have a go at photographing a similar phase. I'd even like to have a go at photographing the phase which you point out in the link.


I like how Venus has phases. It allows me to locate it in relation to the Earth.

I plan on trying to deduce the shape of the solar system through observation.

I have a headstart. There are a lot of people who have given away lots of hints on how to establish the position of the planets in the solar system.

I look forward to making a little model of the solar system in my mind.:)

[WadeH]

Yes, I too like the phases of Venus. This is one that I took back in 2005 handheld. The sun was not quite set and venus about 20 degrees above. I liked the way the atmosphere split the planets light like a prism! :) This shot was through a 5mm Super Plossl with 2X barlow, seeing was fantastic.

[Uchtungbaby]

Gee, that's a great picture. Hopefully, I can achieve something similar thought a little bit smaller.

How do you enlarge the image so much without getting pixelation? What sort of software/technique do you use?:)

[WadeH]

Thanks Uchtungbaby. The picture has only had basic cropping and a small adjustment of brightness and contrast, for sharpness a still hand is estential, and good seeing!. I dont have any fancy software, just what came with the camera (Camedia) which is an Olympus 410 compact digital. Until finances allow otherwise these basics are it! Just play with differant settings and dont be afraid to use the flash with this type of camera, it helps avoide over exposure. Over all its great fun seeing what turns out.

[Uchtungbaby]

Thanks Wade. Um, I don't suppose you would spread your hand across your mirror, and give me an idea of how big the mirror is on your telescope? I just think that maybe you have something a little bigger than a digital brownie camera when you take the photo.

Unless you are taking the image out of focus and cropping the edges to make it appear larger than it is. You know that is cheating, don't you?:)

[matt]

Here ya go.

And yes, Venus most certainly exhibits phases, just like the moon:)

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=20802

[WadeH]

I assure you Achtungbaby that there is no cheating. My scope is a 200mm Newt. and other gear as listed in my signature. And the camera used is the one shown in the attached picture which I'm holding.
As said before a steady hand and practice along with basic cropping are all that is needed for this style of photography. Of course this method and camera are no good for deep space objects.
Give it a go. You may be suprised what you can achieve.

[Uchtungbaby]

Thank you Wade, I'll try and see what I come up with. Our set up does not seem all that different. Do you use a clock drive to track the planet? I ask this because I notice myself that the field of view is quite small when the camera lens is magnified. The planet tends to drift off screen.

If you did that picture without a clock drive then that is amazing. It is very encouraging.


Thanks for the link Matt.:)

[glenc]

In early August Venus will be a large crescent in the evening sky.
In late August Venus will be a large crescent in the morning sky. The curved arc points to the Sun.
See Andrew James's page here:
http://homepage.mac.com/andjames/PageVenus007.htm

[WadeH]

No drives for the pictures although I do have clock drives fitted which I use for normal visual observing. The little compact works on quite fast shutter speeds so I start with the planet or moon or sunspot (with proper solar filter) just off screen and let it drift into camera view. It often takes quite a few tries to get a succesful picture. Maybe practice with some wide field views first, eg 25mm lens.

[Uchtungbaby]

yeah, I think that's what I'll do for now. I have a smaller eyepiece than the 25mm but, I haven't managed to line it up with anything just yet.

Thanks for the advice.:)