The Horns of Venus

Frank and Dave,

Since you are actively involved with the imaging of Venus, please do not forget the unique opportunity surrounding "The Horns of Venus". Of course, please be VERY careful with such a project.

It is one of my action items for this opposition.

Forgive my ingnorance but what are the horns of Venus?

Bart.

Hi Bart,

As we approach closer and closer to opposition, the crescent gets thinner and thinner. If we manage to capture this very thin crescent "just" before and "just" after opposition, we will have two VERY thin crescents which open in opposite directions and resemble a pair of horns when the two crescents are placed side-by-side.

If it helps, imagine an image of the moon just before new on the left side and an image of the moon just after new on the right side .... and you get something that looks like a pair of horns.

I have checked with Google but cannot find anything to show you.

On a similar note, another interesting but dangerous challenge is to image as much of the crescent as possible as it thins out. In other words, we want as much of the complete circular periphery as possible as it gets closer and closer to opposition.

Now that is an interest challenge,
Of course that all depends on the weather been nice to us at the time.

Bart, the horns of Venus is when Venus is at inferior conjunction, there is a brief time when instead of getting a crescent of light you get a complete circle if light around the planets edge.
Been right on top of the sun at that time, if it goes wrong for you, the least you'll do is melt your camera onto the back of your scope. :lol:
All jokes aside, this is a very dangerous time to get Venus.

If it helps, imagine an image of the moon just before new on the left side and an image of the moon just after new on the right side .... and you get something that looks like a pair of horns.

Of course I just confused you since I got it backwards!

Please imagine a thin crescent moon just after new on the left side and a thin crescent moon just before new on the right side.

My apologies.

Cheers for the explanation ... and ... to those of you that dare to give this one a go ... good luck!

Bart.