New Scientist article http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17534-mysterious-bright-spot-found-on-... S&T Sky at Glance Article (scroll down to Venus) http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/ataglance BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8179067.stm White plume in atmosphere has been reported as being imaged by two amateurs, including uber-imager George Tarsoudis of Greeece. http://www.lunar-captures.com/venus_files/090719_venus_tar.jpg http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk09/v090719z.htm Local horizon position and phyiscal empheris for SLC for the next two weeks are appended. Source: MICA. Altitude = 90 degs minus zenithal distance. Sun is at about -9 degs alt at 11:30UT (5:30AM). - Clear Skies, Kurt Venus Apparent Topocentric Positions Local Zenith and True North Salt Lake City, Utah Location: W111°53'23.3", N40°45'52.3", 1301m (Longitude referred to Greenwich meridian) Date Time Zenith Azimuth (UT1) Distance (E of N) h m s ° ° 2009 Aug 02 11:30:00.0 68.54271 79.07297 2009 Aug 03 11:30:00.0 68.71504 78.89129 2009 Aug 04 11:30:00.0 68.89472 78.71646 2009 Aug 05 11:30:00.0 69.08166 78.54863 2009 Aug 06 11:30:00.0 69.27580 78.38792 2009 Aug 07 11:30:00.0 69.47702 78.23444 2009 Aug 08 11:30:00.0 69.68526 78.08832 2009 Aug 09 11:30:00.0 69.90041 77.94966 2009 Aug 10 11:30:00.0 70.12238 77.81855 2009 Aug 11 11:30:00.0 70.35106 77.69509 2009 Aug 12 11:30:00.0 70.58634 77.57935 2009 Aug 13 11:30:00.0 70.82811 77.47141 2009 Aug 14 11:30:00.0 71.07626 77.37135 2009 Aug 15 11:30:00.0 71.33065 77.27921 Venus Topocentric Physical Ephemeris: Illumination Parameters Salt Lake City, Utah Location: W111°53'23.3", N40°45'52.3", 1301m (Longitude referred to Greenwich meridian) Date Time Light- Mag. Diameter Phase (UT1) time Equator Pole Angle h m s min. " " ° 2009 Aug 02 11:30:00.0 9.49 -3.8 14.63 14.63 61.2 2009 Aug 03 11:30:00.0 9.55 -3.8 14.54 14.54 60.7 2009 Aug 04 11:30:00.0 9.60 -3.8 14.45 14.45 60.3 2009 Aug 05 11:30:00.0 9.66 -3.8 14.37 14.37 59.9 2009 Aug 06 11:30:00.0 9.72 -3.8 14.28 14.28 59.4 2009 Aug 07 11:30:00.0 9.77 -3.8 14.20 14.20 59.0 2009 Aug 08 11:30:00.0 9.83 -3.8 14.12 14.12 58.5 2009 Aug 09 11:30:00.0 9.89 -3.8 14.04 14.04 58.1 2009 Aug 10 11:30:00.0 9.94 -3.8 13.96 13.96 57.7 2009 Aug 11 11:30:00.0 10.00 -3.8 13.88 13.88 57.2 2009 Aug 12 11:30:00.0 10.05 -3.8 13.81 13.81 56.8 2009 Aug 13 11:30:00.0 10.11 -3.8 13.73 13.73 56.4 2009 Aug 14 11:30:00.0 10.16 -3.8 13.66 13.66 56.0 2009 Aug 15 11:30:00.0 10.21 -3.8 13.59 13.59 55.5