The `fab five`

Got all five from my back garden in Kilmacud last night, despite a neighbours house almost getting in the way of Mercury! Mercury is, of course, the hardest to spot, but as Al said, the very thin crescent moon (only 1.8 days old), made the job of finding it a bit easier. If the weather plays ball tomorrow evening, I might take a trip up to Cloon wood for a better view (any takers?).

Later on that evening, there was a very nice double-transit of Europa and Io and their shadows across the face of Jupiter; I could make out two very distinct black dots just above the equator using my 8" Dob. Never seen a shadow transit before, so catching two of them in one go was sweet!

some of us managed to see all of them at cosmos this year in a rare break in the clouds. it was the only observing i think at the weekend. mercury was visible only for a few minutes before the cloud came and covered it up.
stephen.

Managed to catch all five last night while hanging precariously out of a velux window in Churchtown, Dublin. First view of Mercury since last September but first view of five in one go since 2001 (or was it 2002 - either way it was May of that year).
The moon was cool. 1.8 days - that's 43 hours old isn't it? My record for thin moon spotting is 33 hours. To get the Astroleague cert. you need a Moon of less than 40 hours. Anybody else got some good thin Moons?

19-45 spotted Mercury about 7 degrees over the western horizon with binoculars, Venus, Mars. Jupiter and Saturn also in view
20-04 looking for Mercury, lost in clouds now, just spotted illuminated jet vapour trail near horizon, looks nice against the darkening western sky
Mars nearly making an equilateral triangle with 32 Tauri and 36 Tauri
Thank God for Velux rooflights, makes observing a lazy mans option
Charles

Manged to get them all tonight, The clouds cleared in Dublin just after sunset enough to get a glimpse of Mercury and the others were easy. And this time I remembered to look for Mars.

Mercury is remarkably easy to see once you know where and when

Cheers,
~Al

Hi All,
Saw Mercury over the last few days, but didnt manage to get a pic.
Lets hope the view of Venus next to the Pleiades will be visible tonight, maybe the clouds will stay broken like they are now.