Venus is currently a crescent phase, as it swings quickly along its orbit between Earth and the sun.
Nikon D5200 DSLR, cropped (enlarged) from original size (below.) f13, 600mm Tameron (150-600) telephoto, ISO 1250, 1/4000″ Handheld Original frame of image on top, same capture, at 6:09 PM 3/11/17, 10 minutes after sunset. Venus is in the center. Can you see it??For comparison, Tri-X film version with EXA 35mm camera, 1/25th sec, through 10″ Newtonian reflector telescope. Taken December 1st, 12:30 PM many years ago, and recently digitally post processed. Being so bright, it can be seen and photographed in the daytime.
Venus has been shinning brightly for the last few months after sunset, but is quickly approaching what is called Inferior Conjunction, as it passes roughly between the Earth and the Sun in 11 days, 3/22/17. The planet will re-emerge as the “morning star” visible a week or two later, rising before sunrise.
As usual, click on the image for a closer look, and thanks for viewing. Comments are always welcome. M 🙂
Thank you, and you know this was inspired by you. M 🙂 With binoculars, and a good clear sky you can probably locate Venus while it is higher in the sky than just after sunset. the ‘seeing’ would be better (steadier) at that time, and less contrast between sky and planet may help set exposure. The weather of course counts now, as there are only a few days left before it’s too close to the sun. However, there is plenty of opportunity on “the other side” as it pulls away from the sun in the pre dawn skies. 🙂
I’m curious about the crescent orientation as it seems it would be opposite what I would have here given the position of the sun. Meaning, the sun is to the left of Venus in the sky here.
Your partially correct. I rotated the orientation for what-ever reason, basically to match the one from the Exa (taken around noon time years ago). Like the moon, the brighter face always points towards the light source, the sun, and if you think in a more spatial way, the planet (essentially a ball) right now is illuminated mostly from behind (and towards the sun.) In tonight’s case, (just after sunset) and unless you were near the equator…instead of well into the northern hemisphere as I am, the brighter side of the crescent was facing right (and down, about 150 deg or so. ) After it passes the sun it will be generally left. It’s late here, and I’m tired, so if I’m mistaken. let me know and I’ll see you in the morning! M 🙂
I’m just going by the relative position of the sun and planet in the sky. Where I’m at, the sun is (speaking in relative terms) below and to the left of the planet, so the bright face of the planet should be to the left of the planet and below (a mirror of what you show).
I was trying to envision the relative position in absolute terms with Earth as the observation point, and I don’t know that it would matter much where we are on the Earth.
If I get ambitious, I’ll load up Stellarium and try and work it out . . . on the other hand, I’m fairly confident no matter what I find, our closest star and our sister planet’s positions are not dependent on us looking at them.
And, um, yes, when I get around to doing more learning on camera, settings and better photography skills, so glad to know who to ask what the heck I’m doing wrong! LOL Invested in a digital camera, for myself (had hand-me-down from oldest son, years ago, which was handed down to him when his grandma upgraded her equipment in 2005 or so…) AND, STILL not capturing in the image, properly, the scene my eye and soul sees when the stars come out and full moons, etc., bring loveliness to the sky! 🙂 (P.S. – sorry for the flood on your notification feed – trying to catch up best as I can, here, and well, um, yeah – can’t help me likey-likey self – 🙂
You’ve got a lot of interests and ambition. When you’re ready let me know and we can discuss basic “astro photography.” I should imagine the skies out where you are can be impressive – a huge contrast to the light pollution I suffer from in New Jersey. M 🙂
Yup! Even with the street light pollution of my tiny town and 2 large glows of metros to the noth and southwest horizons from me, the stars still sometimes seem so many, profuse and close, it feels like i could touch one! Maybe u ought to do a mountains of colorado road trip soon… lol. Will reach out for beginner tips before next fall, when I travel to the boonies of New Mexico. 🙂 maybe, just maybe, I will be able to send you pictures of the night sky there!
With two of my grown kids, and one impressionable grandchild, we did do a 4 day power visit to the Moab area about 18 months ago, specifically wantIng to show Tyler (the 7 yr old,) Dinosaur tracks, and what a real sky looks like. Hopefully we will be doing somehting like that again. see http://wp.me/p37YEI-1Jh M 🙂
Well, Venus will be back in the evening sky again next month to do it all again. Nothing to see on its surface of course but watching the phase change is always a pleasure as it pulls out from the far side of the Sun and swings around into the evening sky then overtakes us on the inside.
Well, crap! Now I’ll have to try it, although clouds tend to move in in the late afternoon.
Well done.
Thank you, and you know this was inspired by you. M 🙂 With binoculars, and a good clear sky you can probably locate Venus while it is higher in the sky than just after sunset. the ‘seeing’ would be better (steadier) at that time, and less contrast between sky and planet may help set exposure. The weather of course counts now, as there are only a few days left before it’s too close to the sun. However, there is plenty of opportunity on “the other side” as it pulls away from the sun in the pre dawn skies. 🙂
Locating it is no problem with my SkEye Android App:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lavadip.skeye&hl=en
The problem is the cloud cover.
I’m curious about the crescent orientation as it seems it would be opposite what I would have here given the position of the sun. Meaning, the sun is to the left of Venus in the sky here.
Your partially correct. I rotated the orientation for what-ever reason, basically to match the one from the Exa (taken around noon time years ago). Like the moon, the brighter face always points towards the light source, the sun, and if you think in a more spatial way, the planet (essentially a ball) right now is illuminated mostly from behind (and towards the sun.) In tonight’s case, (just after sunset) and unless you were near the equator…instead of well into the northern hemisphere as I am, the brighter side of the crescent was facing right (and down, about 150 deg or so. ) After it passes the sun it will be generally left. It’s late here, and I’m tired, so if I’m mistaken. let me know and I’ll see you in the morning! M 🙂
I’m just going by the relative position of the sun and planet in the sky. Where I’m at, the sun is (speaking in relative terms) below and to the left of the planet, so the bright face of the planet should be to the left of the planet and below (a mirror of what you show).
I was trying to envision the relative position in absolute terms with Earth as the observation point, and I don’t know that it would matter much where we are on the Earth.
If I get ambitious, I’ll load up Stellarium and try and work it out . . . on the other hand, I’m fairly confident no matter what I find, our closest star and our sister planet’s positions are not dependent on us looking at them.
I once had a girlfriend named Stellerarium.
amazing!
And, um, yes, when I get around to doing more learning on camera, settings and better photography skills, so glad to know who to ask what the heck I’m doing wrong! LOL Invested in a digital camera, for myself (had hand-me-down from oldest son, years ago, which was handed down to him when his grandma upgraded her equipment in 2005 or so…) AND, STILL not capturing in the image, properly, the scene my eye and soul sees when the stars come out and full moons, etc., bring loveliness to the sky! 🙂 (P.S. – sorry for the flood on your notification feed – trying to catch up best as I can, here, and well, um, yeah – can’t help me likey-likey self – 🙂
You’ve got a lot of interests and ambition. When you’re ready let me know and we can discuss basic “astro photography.” I should imagine the skies out where you are can be impressive – a huge contrast to the light pollution I suffer from in New Jersey. M 🙂
Yup! Even with the street light pollution of my tiny town and 2 large glows of metros to the noth and southwest horizons from me, the stars still sometimes seem so many, profuse and close, it feels like i could touch one! Maybe u ought to do a mountains of colorado road trip soon… lol. Will reach out for beginner tips before next fall, when I travel to the boonies of New Mexico. 🙂 maybe, just maybe, I will be able to send you pictures of the night sky there!
With two of my grown kids, and one impressionable grandchild, we did do a 4 day power visit to the Moab area about 18 months ago, specifically wantIng to show Tyler (the 7 yr old,) Dinosaur tracks, and what a real sky looks like. Hopefully we will be doing somehting like that again. see http://wp.me/p37YEI-1Jh M 🙂
Great post. Its incredible to see Venus.
Well, Venus will be back in the evening sky again next month to do it all again. Nothing to see on its surface of course but watching the phase change is always a pleasure as it pulls out from the far side of the Sun and swings around into the evening sky then overtakes us on the inside.
The Solar System in action!