I got in from work tonight at just after 5PM and saw the crescent Moon with Venus just below it in the south west, with Jupiter off to the right. I figured I had about twenty minutes before both Venus and then the Moon would set behind the rooftops.
I grabbed my little 60mm
I set the timer on my phone. I went downstairs again, got the scope, came out, got the CG4 from the shed, mounted the scope, took the caps off,and checked the timer. 1:46! Not too shabby for something I have done probably a few hundred times...
Turning back to my 60mm Towatron, I checked the focus, and took a few pics. I'm not thrilled with the color, but it is what it is, I guess. The temperature was dropping as the Sun set, and through the camera viewfinder I could see the heat shimmering off the roofs. Blech.
Anyways, here's two shots of the conjunction. In the first, I included the rooftop across the street for some perspective. In the second, the airplane wandering by lent some perspective, as well as the tree branches to the right
I then swapped the camera into the C80. I took 28 shots before it was too late, so to speak. This is the Moon at 6% illumination on the waxing side of it all. I liked my waning shot from last Sunday better... Also, you might notice some dark lines through the picture; I have never seen that before. I have to say the original shots were not good; focus was impossible, mainly because of the rooftop heat, so that could have something to do with it.
And now it is cloudy. Of course. I will have to go and get my scope at one point. I'm just too lazy at the moment....
That's me for the day; I hope you have better luck and clearer skies than I!
All the best,
