Discovering Venus

Observed from about 7:50 to 8:20 PM from Chaunticlair Observatory under clear skies, medium transparency, temperature of 43F with a light breeze. Using the 90mm Meade I viewed Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter in this happy occasion when they are all close together in the sky. Also saw one slow, eastbound meteor, near Orion. The Orion Nebula looked beautiful as did Saturn. I could see hints of banding in the planetary disk and the rings looked sharp. Jupiter's banding was also well defined. The moon is a thin crescent, Mars a small red dot now shrunken significantly from last year's historic opposition when I could see its polar cap even with this small scope. Venus was brilliant but through the glare I could see, for the first time in my life, the disk was incomplete. I'll want to look again as the month progresses to see the disk become a crescent.

Chaunticlair Observatory

About 8:15 in from the balcony ("Chaunticlair Observatory") with clear sky, clouds on the western horizon ahead of a large rainy weather system. With the 90mm Meade and 12.5mm eyepiece looked at Jupiter. View was sometimes clear and I could just make out the two major cloud bands. The Orion Nebula, however, looked great ... the best I've seen, and a beautiful veil filling the field of view. The Trapezium region was clearly visible with its young central stars. Quick looks at Betelgeuse and Sirius. Saturn was at the zenith and not observable. It's cold, 32F, with light pollution seeming to increase; perhaps thin cloud layer moving in. Quit at about 8:30 PM. Photo: The twin-level "Chaunticlair Observatory." It may not be much of an observing facility, but it's convenient! That's the 90mm Meade waiting for nightfall.