[ValleyNature] Some Early Morning Observing

[Sherman Williams]

Just came in (6 a.m. to 7a.m.) from observing 5 planets and 2 moons  
in the dawn sky.  Oh, yes, there were a few nice suns as well  
(Betelgeuse, Aldebaran, Procyon, Pollux, Castor, etc.).  Wiind-driven  
waves crashing against the Bluff (just past high tide). BEAUTIFUL  
clear, brisk morning!

The telescope view along Quarter Moon's terminator crater line and  
mountaiin peeks was magnificent!     Castor, Pollux, MARS and Procyon  
made a nice eye-catching line lower left of the Moon    ....but, the  
prize was the line of planets arching up from the eastern EARTH- 
horizon in the orange-red glow of the dawn, just above the Hants  
County hills.   MERCURY, SATURN and VENUS all easily seen.  I even  
learned the name of a new star, Zavijava, (zaw-vee-ja-vah) a 3.5 mag  
star in Virgo that made a nice triangle in the binocular view with  
Venus and Saturn.

  In the 10 inch (telescope) I could just make out the suggestion of  
Saturn's narrow ring line (they are still pretty close to edge-on),  
celestially angled in an east-west direction. Titon was easily seen  
to the west of Saturn (Saturn's brightest moon).   Venus and Mercury  
in the scope were intense orbs of light.  You could tell that they  
were not circular (Mercury more uncicular than Venus) the  
unsteadiness of the low atmosphere and their brightnesses made their  
images roil, making it pointless to attempt resolving their actual  
shapes. I'll check that on Starry Night (they should be gibbous- 
shaped).  Through my  10X50s, I could not quite get the light from  
all 3 planets  funnelling into my eyes at once.  I had to jig  
slightly up, then down to come close to the effect, so Mercury to  
Venus must have been close to 6 degrees. My binoc field is right  
around 5 degrees.

I looked at Mars in the scope too.  It is gibbous-shaped and,   
yes, ......much, MUCH smaller than our Moon just west of it.  Took  
some photos I'll share later if they look OK.

Tomorrow morning if clear will be special too:  Moon, Mars, Pollux  
and Castor make a nice line in the 6 a.m. sky, and at the same time,  
Mercury, Saturn and Venus will still be nicely lined up, shining  
brightly above EARTH's low eastern horizon.

A great early morning observing session,
Enjoy your Thanksgiving everyone.

    Sherman


On 10/10/2009, at 8:25 PM, Pat d'Entremont wrote:

> If it holds out, I and a couple of buddies are thinking of heading  
> out to SCO on Sunday night. Right now it looks like it’ll be mostly  
> clear, but the moon is rising around 12:30. I’d be interested if  
> anyone else is thinking likewise.
>
>
>
> Pat
>
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>
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> _______________________________________________
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> hfxrasc at lists.rasc.ca
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