Quote:
Originally Posted by Allan_L
Hi Chris,
It is generally accepted that the best time to view anything is when it is furthest from the moon (so to speak) as the moon washes out nearby objects.
And although the moon then is three days past last quarter, it will still be brightish.
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But for planetary observing, the Moon is not a nuisance at all. Despite pessimistic statements like 'Saturn cannot be seen with the naked eye near the bright Moon ....' in old yearbooks of the 1950s and '60s as the Dutch 'Sterrengids' it is not so bad at all. Even near a full Moon Saturn can be found with the naked eye. If not visible near a crescent, please see an opthamologist....
But for telescopic viewing, details remain visible even when close to the Moon. Details on Mars or Jupiter can even be seen in full daylight (but then when not close to the Sun) is my experience.