Daytime Venus?

Sitting looking out the window at 2:40pm today and watching a plane go
past... what was that thing it went past? Venus- clearly visible
(16degrees up) and pretty easy to refind again without the plane. I
know the sun was low (6.5degrees up with Venus 33.2degrees elongation),
but that just makes a nice afternoon that bit nicer!

Peter

Some 50+ years ago as a teenager at school, I managed to locate Venus
during the lunch break. One other boy could also see it, but the rest
of the lads thought we were just being silly. But slowly one by one,
they foound it. I gained a few "points" that day.

Slightly off topic but a better challenge is to see Iridium satellites
during the day. I managed it today for the first time, but to be fair,
it was very bright at mag -8.5.

Go to Heavens Above for predictions:
http://www.heavens-above.com/main.asp?

There's a wealth of other data there as well.

Jack

wrote in message
oups.com...
Sitting looking out the window at 2:40pm today and watching a plane go
past... what was that thing it went past? Venus- clearly visible
(16degrees up) and pretty easy to refind again without the plane. I
know the sun was low (6.5degrees up with Venus 33.2degrees elongation),
but that just makes a nice afternoon that bit nicer!

Peter


A few years ago, I was staying with a large group of our physics and
astronomy students at a house in Great Windsor Park for a departmental
weekend. I found Venus early in the morning and tracked it against a
chimney by making a mark in the driveway, then by allowing for diurnal
movement every few minutes, I showed it to students in full daylight, a few
at a time, after they woke up. As long as you know where it is, Venus is
easy to spot in full daylight.

I tried the same thing at home, with Sirius, but it is not bright enough to
spot without binoculars once the Sun rises. At least, for me, near sea
level, in London. Maybe on a clear mountain top?

Your method of just happening to pick Venus up as a plane flies past is one
of the best methods, as it means you are already focussed on very distant
objects. But plainly haphazard.

--
Mike Dworetsky

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Mike Dworetsky wrote:
Your method of just happening to pick Venus up as a plane flies past is
one of the best methods,

I've had most success when it is quite close to the Moon.

Best,
Stephen

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Stephen Tonkin wrote:

Mike Dworetsky wrote:

Your method of just happening to pick Venus up as a plane flies past
is one of the best methods,

I've had most success when it is quite close to the Moon.

You can also do it with the edge of a tall building. With a bit of
cunning you can hide from the sun too. Anything to get your eyes
focussed to the far distance and pointing in about the right direction
will help.

Regards,
Martin Brown