Venus + Elnath

Good day to you all.
Those of us who have been observing Venus over recent months might be interested to know that the brightest planet is less than 2 degrees tonight Sunday 10th May 2020. Their magnitudes are -4.7 and +1.7.
I was stunned last night when I could quite easily see Elnath (Beta Tauri) above Venus before sunset had occurred at 9.09 pm with my 2" 28 mm eyepiece which gives 2 degrees fov. And later on I had no problem seeing the star with my unaided eyes.
Venus' crescent is getting larger all the time now. Last night she was 16.7% illuminated and had an angular diameter of 44.1". A great sight in any optical instrument.
But she is going to reach a stationary on the 13th May. And so after that she will start her usual plunge towards the Sun.
Later on before the beginning of June she will be gone. How sad!

All 3 weather websites which I check are all in agreement we will be having yet another clear night on Sunday night.

Clear skies from Aubrey.

Hi Aubrey, 

Very many thanks for your post. Hopefully, the skies will clear as I'm itching to get back out for some observing. First on the list - Venus!

All the best,

Darren.

Hello, everyone.
I did observe Venus and Elnath for a while tonight (Sunday). But the winds were very strong. Plus the clouds were coming in from the Irish Sea constantly.
So I looked at a few quickies and called it a night.
Porrima, 24 Comae Berenices and one new double - Bu 27.
And that was it.
Monday night is due to be reasonably clear with the north easterly wind becoming more and more calm as the day goes on.

Clear skies from Aubrey.

Hi Aubrey, Well done on getting an observation session in last night, and congrats on viewing the new star. I held off due to the poor seeing conditions, but the sky looks good for tonight  Clear skies, Darren. 

Hi all.
We have had high haze over Dublin today Monday 11th May.
But I have managed to find Venus bang on 5.30 pm.
I found it no problem at 11X through my William Optics 70 mm F/6 apochromatic refractor. It gives me 6 degrees fov.
The seeing is plain bad so far. But I have to say I was amazed to see herself as a sharp crescent which is 14.7% illumination.
At 40X and 112X she is large but shimmering badly.
Her magnitude is down a notch at -4.6.
However I am very much delighted to have found her a full 3 hours 42 minutes before sunset which is due to occur at 21.12 Irish Summer Time. Venus is 32 degrees from the Sun right now. She is some 54 million kms from Earth.

It looks like it is going to be a very clear night tonight.
The sea breezes are supposed to die down later.
I will be busy hunting down some fine doubles in Coma Berenices.
24 Comae is simply wonderful as an easily split true binary.
All being well, I should provide you all with a full report tomorrow.

Clear skies from Aubrey.

I've caught Venus easily in broad daylight through 20 x 80 binoculars on several occasions recently. Can't claim to have spotted it naked eye like some have, but it's still remarkable how clearly it shows up at midday or 2 pm or whenever one wishes. And with a different sort of silvery, metallic light. Have a good one tonight Aubrey.

Finbarr.