BBC: "Experts puzzled by spot on Venus"

Apparently we now have an unusual white area of Venus. Discovered by amateur astrnomer Frank Melillo Holtsville New York. Confrmed by ESA's Venus Express.

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8179067.stm

Mark

Venus is currently ~38 degrees away from the Sun, its in Gemini so is high in the sky in the morning, easily visible in daytime with a scope, this is certainly worth looking for, if only the weather would co-operate

Wow!
we gotta try see this!

Absolutely typical!!

While Knightrider has been a never ending saga since the beginning of the year with the end only appearing within sight in a few more weeks due to real life constantly getting in the way. Well up till a fortnight ago, at least if anything really interesting happened I could pull out the 12" orion Dob. However I sold it recently to Lunartic.

So I am scopeless since about the 18th....

What telescopic target was discovered on the 19th on Jupiter by Bird!!!
What telescopic target was discovered on Venus in the last few days...!!!

Looks up and shakes fists at the sky gods!!

New Scientist has it that they were both discovered on the same day - 19th July.

www.newscientist.com/article/dn17534-mys...-found-on-venus.html

I'm suprised that this was slower to spread (news-wise) than the Jupiter event - maybe there's less interest when impactors are not suspected.

Mark

Remember in 1993 when Saturn had its own unusual Great White Spot? How do we know for Venus it is not normal, an artefact of sunshine, or what?

Seanie.