Planet Mercury on view at dusk

[nytecam]

Sunnydale and Cutecoot - the brilliant star in the SW for the last month or so is planet Venus or popularly the 'Evening Star' - it's the brightest 'star' in the sky and will ge even marginally brighter over the next week or so

Under perfect conditions Venus is bright enough to form shadows - like indoors in a dark room with the window facing Venus or a hand held before a white card illuminated by Venus outdoors

[cutecoot]

Thanks nytecam So have we missed mercury now then? Any idea when it will next be visible so that I can look out for it ... (I need to put things like this in my diary! )

[nytecam]

Originally Posted by cutecoot

Thanks nytecam So have we missed mercury now then? Any idea when it will next be visible so that I can look out for it ... (I need to put things like this in my diary! )

I've checked my planetarium program Cartes du Ciel [free download!] and Mercury will be on view again in the second half of April low down and due west in twilight [where the sun went down earlier]. You need to pick a good clear horizon free from trees etc. Binoculars should pick it out as the only 'star' in that region of the sky.

A regular digicam on a tripod should capture it - try many shots/ zoom/ night mode/ delayed action [to avoid shake/blur] etc.

Good luck

[sunnydale]

Thanks for the info nytecam. I saw Venus again this eve

[muddyfeet]

Have missed mercury, but Venus still bright. Got my old telescope down from the loft last night (I had it as a youngster 30 years ago, had a keen interest in astronomy back then!!), and spent about an hour in the garden just gazing up at the sky through it!! Brought back some memories!

[cutecoot]

Originally Posted by nytecam

I've checked my planetarium program Cartes du Ciel [free download!] and Mercury will be on view again in the second half of April low down and due west in twilight [where the sun went down earlier]. You need to pick a good clear horizon free from trees etc. Binoculars should pick it out as the only 'star' in that region of the sky.

A regular digicam on a tripod should capture it - try many shots/ zoom/ night mode/ delayed action [to avoid shake/blur] etc.

Good luck

Thanks for the info, nytecam .. going to check out that free download!

[cutecoot]

Erm .. I think I might have to admit to that being a little too technical for me! I'll stick with my manual hand-held wheely disc thing for the time being! (only it doesn't track mercury ) .. but at least I know when to look out for it next from the info you posted, nytecam!

[nytecam]

Originally Posted by cutecoot

Erm .. I think I might have to admit to that being a little too technical for me! I'll stick with my manual hand-held wheely disc thing for the time being! (only it doesn't track mercury ) .. but at least I know when to look out for it next from the info you posted, nytecam!

If I read you right that 'wheely thingy' just shows the fixed stars and not the planets [=wandering stars]

[cutecoot]

Originally Posted by nytecam

If I read you right that 'wheely thingy' just shows the fixed stars and not the planets [=wandering stars]

Yes, it does just show the fixed stars on the chart itself, but on the reverse there is a calendar which shows when and where Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn can be seen .. but unfortunately not Mercury (says it moves too quickly to be plotted month by month).

[nytecam]

Just got around to this Mercury video - sifting through the individual video frames [much cropped here] for header pic rather tedious but will try again for Mercury's evening show later this month and into May

Mercury is currently very near the sun and can be seen in this SOHO pic at http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/c2/512/ at lower left. Apologies for the typo in my vid header