Re: [Utah-astronomy] Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 189, Issue 5
Chuck, i gave it a shot around noon, with and without sunglasses. Nothing. Am i correct in assuming it is leading the Sun? Thanx for the heads up. I will try tomorrow Ron Sent via the Samsung Galaxy Note8, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone -------- Original message -------- From: utah-astronomy-request@mailman.xmission.com Date: 11/16/18 12:00 PM (GMT-07:00) To: utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com Subject: Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 189, Issue 5 Send Utah-Astronomy mailing list submissions to utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to utah-astronomy-request@mailman.xmission.com You can reach the person managing the list at utah-astronomy-owner@mailman.xmission.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Utah-Astronomy digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Venus in daylight (chuck.hards) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2018 11:01:00 -0700 From: "chuck.hards" <chuck.hards@gmail.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Venus in daylight Message-ID: <5bef05db.1c69fb81.4b238.435a@mx.google.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Venus has been a spectacular morning object for a while.Just now, 11:00 am, standing outdoors under a clear blue sky, I looked up, due south, about halfway to the zenith.? There was Venus!The sun was blocked by the eaves of a structure. I confirmed the fat crescent of Venus with a 12x30mm binocular.But it's plainly visible without optical aid.? I was wearing my prescription sunglasses.Give it a try and let us know if you succeed.?Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php ------------------------------ End of Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 189, Issue 5 **********************************************
Never look directly at the Sun. Never stare near the Sun with or without sunglasses; the light can damage your eyes even if not looking directly at it; never point binos or telescope anywhere near the Sun without proper filters — filters that would make it impossible to see Venus. — Words of advice from a 72-year-old amateur astronomer who values his vision. Sent from my iPhone
On Nov 16, 2018, at 1:45 PM, RON VANDERHULE <deepsky100@msn.com> wrote:
Chuck, i gave it a shot around noon, with and without sunglasses. Nothing. Am i correct in assuming it is leading the Sun? Thanx for the heads up. I will try tomorrow
Ron
Sent via the Samsung Galaxy Note8, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
-------- Original message -------- From: utah-astronomy-request@mailman.xmission.com Date: 11/16/18 12:00 PM (GMT-07:00) To: utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com Subject: Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 189, Issue 5
Send Utah-Astronomy mailing list submissions to utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com
To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to utah-astronomy-request@mailman.xmission.com
You can reach the person managing the list at utah-astronomy-owner@mailman.xmission.com
When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Utah-Astronomy digest..."
Today's Topics:
1. Venus in daylight (chuck.hards)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1 Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2018 11:01:00 -0700 From: "chuck.hards" <chuck.hards@gmail.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Venus in daylight Message-ID: <5bef05db.1c69fb81.4b238.435a@mx.google.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Venus has been a spectacular morning object for a while.Just now, 11:00 am, standing outdoors under a clear blue sky, I looked up, due south, about halfway to the zenith.? There was Venus!The sun was blocked by the eaves of a structure. I confirmed the fat crescent of Venus with a 12x30mm binocular.But it's plainly visible without optical aid.? I was wearing my prescription sunglasses.Give it a try and let us know if you succeed.?Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
------------------------------
Subject: Digest Footer
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php
------------------------------
End of Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 189, Issue 5 ********************************************** _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
Send messages to the list to Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com
The Utah-Astronomy mailing list is not affiliated with any astronomy club.
To unsubscribe go to: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Then enter your email address in the space provided and click on "Unsubscribe or edit options".
Just echo Joe's warning, our retinas have no pain fibers. You will feel nothing burning. The damage will be quite painless. You will simply find when you look away you are permanently blind, or perhaps radically less sensitive to light or have permanent darkened patterns in your vision. The moon also looks like a crescent. It can be seen with the naked eye and is easier to find. It is also substantially more interesting to take a long look at. Try it instead and wait for Venus to move farther from the sun. On Fri, Nov 16, 2018 at 2:49 PM Joe Bauman via Utah-Astronomy < utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> wrote:
Never look directly at the Sun. Never stare near the Sun with or without sunglasses; the light can damage your eyes even if not looking directly at it; never point binos or telescope anywhere near the Sun without proper filters — filters that would make it impossible to see Venus. — Words of advice from a 72-year-old amateur astronomer who values his vision.
Sent from my iPhone
On Nov 16, 2018, at 1:45 PM, RON VANDERHULE <deepsky100@msn.com> wrote:
Chuck, i gave it a shot around noon, with and without sunglasses. Nothing. Am i correct in assuming it is leading the Sun? Thanx for the heads up. I will try tomorrow
Ron
Sent via the Samsung Galaxy Note8, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
-------- Original message -------- From: utah-astronomy-request@mailman.xmission.com Date: 11/16/18 12:00 PM (GMT-07:00) To: utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com Subject: Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 189, Issue 5
Send Utah-Astronomy mailing list submissions to utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com
To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to utah-astronomy-request@mailman.xmission.com
You can reach the person managing the list at utah-astronomy-owner@mailman.xmission.com
When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Utah-Astronomy digest..."
Today's Topics:
1. Venus in daylight (chuck.hards)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1 Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2018 11:01:00 -0700 From: "chuck.hards" <chuck.hards@gmail.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Venus in daylight Message-ID: <5bef05db.1c69fb81.4b238.435a@mx.google.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Venus has been a spectacular morning object for a while.Just now, 11:00 am, standing outdoors under a clear blue sky, I looked up, due south, about halfway to the zenith.? There was Venus!The sun was blocked by the eaves of a structure. I confirmed the fat crescent of Venus with a 12x30mm binocular.But it's plainly visible without optical aid.? I was wearing my prescription sunglasses.Give it a try and let us know if you succeed.?Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
------------------------------
Subject: Digest Footer
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php
------------------------------
End of Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 189, Issue 5 ********************************************** _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
Send messages to the list to Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com
The Utah-Astronomy mailing list is not affiliated with any astronomy club.
To unsubscribe go to: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Then enter your email address in the space provided and click on "Unsubscribe or edit options".
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
Send messages to the list to Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com
The Utah-Astronomy mailing list is not affiliated with any astronomy club.
To unsubscribe go to: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Then enter your email address in the space provided and click on "Unsubscribe or edit options".
Guys, I'm a bit surprised but do appreciate a heartfelt warning. I'm also surprised that anyone actually thought Ron and I were referring to looking at the sun. I would like to make a few points. - Nobody posted about looking at the sun. I actually posted that I had the sun blocked by a building. The target is Venus. - This is the preferred method of observing objects other than the sun in daylight. You position the sun behind a building so that there is ZERO danger of blinding yourself. You are standing in the shade. - This is how I've done it since I was ten years old. A little bit of common sense and nobody loses their eyesight. A little bit of careful reading and nobody thinks somebody is being instructed to look at the sun. - Venus is largest and brightest when in this part of it's orbit, relative to earth. The time before and after superior conjunction. There's no crescent to see at other times and it isn't nearly as visible naked-eye. - Observing Venus (and other objects) in daylight is a long-established practice in amateur astronomy and has been written about doing it safely for many, many decades. I recall the method from the late 60's. - What's the difference between looking at the moon during the day, and this, safety-wise? Nothing. Looking at the crescent moon as a substitute for finding Venus in daylight with the naked-eye... really? Not buying that one unless you're teaching very young kids. I just posted this because I happened to remember about where Venus would be at this time of day and it's at a good point in it's orbit for a possible naked-eye sighting. I had a small binocular with me so verified the observation. I thought it kind of cool and wanted to share. So thanks for the warning guys, but come on, it's part of astronomy and an approved activity older than all of us. Let's keep the Nanny State out of the hobby. You are far more likely to be killed on your next trip to the grocery store, than to blind yourself doing this project. The sun need never touch your skin during the whole time you're looking. Ron, yes Venus is leading the sun, far to the west of it. Make sure there's no glare from direct or reflected sunlight, say off a window maybe. Use the method I used, standing in the shade with a good view due south. I want to try it again using a polarizing filter to see if that will darken the sky and possibly aid visibility. Venus is just over a degree from Spica right now, and for a few days. The sun is in Libra. There's quite a bit of angular seperation and Venus is well out of the solar glare. Had I not been wearing my prescription glasses, I doubt I that I would have seen it quickly, surely it would have taken more time because I can't focus tightly on infinity without my glasses. If you have the SkEye app on a smartphone, it can show you precisely where to look during the day. But I think if the air is clear and you get Venus close to the meridian, it should be easy. Took me a bit to find it but once I did, I could recover it pretty easily. Use a plainisphere or computer program to determine when Spica is on the meridian, that's the time to look.
participants (4)
-
Chuck Hards -
Joe Bauman -
Joel Stucki -
RON VANDERHULE