Managed to grab and stack two x 10 sec images tonight (3rd June), of Venus, Mercury & M44, from our study window which looks out to the West.
Images taken with a Pentax istDS, 135mm Takumar lens at f8, 200ASA, 10 secs, manual focus (lens is a manual lens, approx 15 years old).
Horrible light pollution as I am shooting straight into the Brisbane light dome and a street light just outside the window. It looks like Venus will be smack in the middle of the Beehive tomorrow, 4th June, so grab a shot or two if you can.
tonight in launceston tasmania, it was breathtaking, it was extremely bright.
i rang all neighbors and told them to have a look. even people that don't llok at the heavens, said that they had noticed it and wondered what was happening
Saturn is much lower than Venus right now, and had set by the time I took the photos. Not sure where Mars is, but it is not on top of Venus. Venus is a very bright planet and the 10 second exposures, even with the 135m lens stopped down to f8, makes Venus quite overwhelmingly bright in an image.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed for clear skies tonight when Venus should be visible in the middle of M44.
well done denis.
it certianly was a great sight last night, i my self mistook mercury for saturn untill i checked the emphemeris
keep them coming i say
Thanks for the comments guys; it was a difficult shot, pointing out of the study window with my GP mount just carefully balanced on top of an old photo tripod, hoping it wouldn't fall off!
Mike - the diffraction spikes are probably just artifacts from the iris on the 135mm f2.5 Pentax lens, which was stopped down to f8 to improve the image. I also noticed this on some of my 35mm emulsion photos from years gone by.
Sorry to hear about the rain H0ughy. I just returned from chasing sucker holes around SE Qld trying to get another shot or 2 tonight (4th June) and just managed to squeeze a couple off as the pair broke free from a band of clouds that obscured them until they almost set. Will process and post later - yawn, tired, must go to bed....zzzzzzz
Here is tonight's best effort, (June 4th). A 30 second image through cloud. Image taken at 6:17 pm (AEST) through a 135mm lens stopped down to f8. Camera was a Pentax istDS. ISO setting was 800 ASA. Venus is the lower Planet, somewhat dimmed by a bank of cloud, leaving Mercury to shine more brightly. M44 is partially obscured by the band of cloud that hugged the horizon and followed the pair all the way down.
I drove 70km SW to try to find a clear spot but the cloud seemed to chase me all the way.
1st image is the full frame, 2nd one is the central portion cropped.
Yes .... Managed to get a look at Venus in the bee-hive tonight.
I do love your original shot Dennis, definatly one for the mags I think !
Observing the planets in the twilight makes such a difference, They were all so much better than in the dark !
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I've got my fingers crossed for tomorrow night as well. Should be a fine sight.
