Moon Occults Venus - North America - April 22

[Centaur]

Venus will become occulted by the 8% illuminated waning crescent Moon for many North Americans during the morning of 2009 APR 22. The planet will appear as a 17% illuminated crescent at magnitude -4.4.

Observers out west will witness the event before sunrise. Those of us in the center of the continent will be able to watch it, but during daytime (avoid looking at Sun!). Those in the east will be shut out.

The southern graze path includes the Texas gulf coast, Toronto and points in between. Observers on the graze path will see the landscape of the Moon’s southern polar region sweeping across the disk of Venus. Those of us north and west of that path will be able to observe a full occultation. The northern graze path will be in space above the Earth’s North Pole.

I’ve created a map illustrating the graze path and area of visibility north and west of it in North America. I’ve also made a graphic including data specifically for observers at Chicago’s Adler Planetarium. Both charts can be seen by clicking: http://www.curtrenz.com/astronomical.html

Photos and descriptions of the occultation would be welcome additions to this thread.

[Centaur]

Here are my predictions for Los Angeles and San Francisco. The times are when the center of Venus is expected to be on the lunar limb. The zenith angle is the position of Venus on the lunar limb measured counterclockwise from the zenith.

Los Angeles
Immersion 05:07:12 PDT Zenith Angle 148.9°
Emersion 05:58:05 PDT Zenith Angle 261.3

San Francisco
Immersion 05:11:20 PDT Zenith Angle 137.6°
Emersion 06:05:30 PDT Zenith Angle 266.6°

[Tucson_Tim]

Centaur,

Thanks for the reminder. Here is an entry from the Sky and Telescope website:

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/42919767.html

[Centaur]

Centaur,

Thanks for the reminder.


You’re welcome, Tim. Here are my predictions for your location. Immersion will happen before sunrise, but emersion will occur in daylight.

Tucson
Immersion 05:07:40 MST Zenith Angle 158.1°
Emersion 05:54:41 MST Zenith Angle 251.7°

[Tucson_Tim]

You’re welcome, Tim. Here are my predictions for your location. Immersion will happen before sunrise, but emersion will occur in daylight.

Tucson
Immersion 05:07:40 MST Zenith Angle 158.1°
Emersion 05:54:41 MST Zenith Angle 251.7°

Thank you! I'm up at 5:00 AM every morning anyhow and it has been very clear the last few mornings - hope it continues till Wednesday. Are you going to try to view it in daylight? With binocs?

[Tucson_Tim]

I know the mods frown on bumping threads but this event occurs tomorrow morning so here goes . . . bump.

[hhEb09'1]

I know the mods frown on bumping threads Absolutely false.

There may be moderators that frown on it, but none that I am aware of. And certainly not me. :)

Thanks for the reminder.

[Tucson_Tim]

Good. Now we can take a side trip, discuss bumping, and keep this thread current (at least for today).

I think the "bumping incident" may have been a new member that was bumping very old threads just for the thrill of it.

Of course, if you put a little thought into the post, the primary purpose of "bumping a thread" can be done without irritating anyone.

[mahesh]

...
Observers out west will witness the event before sunrise. Those of us in the center of the continent will be able to watch it, but during daytime (avoid looking at Sun!). Those in the east will be shut out.

The southern graze path includes the Texas gulf coast, Toronto and points in between. Observers on the graze path will see the landscape of the Moon’s southern polar region sweeping across the disk of Venus. Those of us north and west of that path will be able to observe a full occultation. The northern graze path will be in space above the Earth’s North Pole.
...
Photos and descriptions of the occultation would be welcome additions to this thread.

You lucky thangs!

TT / hhEeb..., in 'light' of bumping stuff, I hope there's a 'bumper crop' of photographs!

Thank you Mr Renz for your graphics. They are always so informative.

edit:

Sir, your comment about the northern graze...blows me away...
..The northern graze path will be in space above the Earth’s North Pole.
How lovely it would be to hover there?!!

(...up above the world, so high... i can only sigh)

[Tucson_Tim]

Trying to find out how often an occultation of Venus by the Moon occurs but having no luck yet. I have to believe that is is quite common.

I did find this about double occultations at wiki:


Double occultations

It is possible that the moon or another celestial body can occult multiple celestial bodies at the same time. Such events are extremely rare and can be seen only from a small part of the world. The last event of such type was on April 23rd, 1998 when the moon occulted Venus and Jupiter simultaneously for observers on Ascension Island.


I found this last thread, also started by Centaur:

http://www.bautforum.com/astronomical-observing-equipment-accessories/70730-moon-occults-venus-2008-mar-05-a.html

From space.com, concerning the frequency of the event from a specific location:


Occultations of Venus in a dark or twilit sky do not happen very often for any specific spot on Earth. From Los Angeles, it happened only once in the 20th century (Jan. 13, 1923) and after this year, the next opportunity will not come again until Oct. 11, 2029.


(well disguised bump)

[Centaur]

Trying to find out how often an occultation of Venus by the Moon occurs but having no luck yet. I have to believe that is is quite common.

I did find this about double occultations at wiki:


From space.com, concerning the frequency of the event from a specific location:





I did observe what was for me a double conjunction on 1998 APR 23 while being aware that it was a double occultation in another part of the world. On 2017 SEP 18 Venus, Mars, Mercury and Regulus will all be occulted by the Moon, but no observers will see these events happening simultaneously.

As you suspect, Tim, the Moon occulting Venus is not especially rare. As noted, what is unusual for any particular location is for both the immersion and emersion to occur at nighttime with Venus above the horizon and not appearing too near the Sun. Tomorrow, Californians will be graced with such an opportunity. Below are upcoming UT dates that the Moon will occult Venus for observers at some location on Earth and without regard to apparent nearness to the Sun.

2009 APR 22
2010 MAY 16
2010 SEP 11
2010 NOV 05
2011 JUN 30
2012 AUG 13
2013 SEP 08
2014 FEB 26

[Tucson_Tim]

Curt, I knew you would know. Thanks for the info!

[AutoClub]

Hi all you bleary-eyed group members. I just witnessed the Moon and Venus about 4-5 minutes before the Moon occulted Venus. With a lousy eastern horizon due to trees and neighbor's rooftops, the only opportunity I had to see this was through a bunch of tree branches with a pair of Canon 18X50 binoculars. Waaaay cool!

I hope to at least capture an image or a set of images when Venus reappears.

If you didn't get a chance to see this in the Los Angeles area, it was incredibly bright. Moments later, the early morning fog slowly crawled away from the horizon here in the western San Fernando Valley, dimming the view.

Come on, sleepy heads! Get up and get outside to see the reappearance in about 30 minutes!

...more to follow (hopefully)!

Paul

[masonicboom]

Hey Tim !!
I live in Phoenix but am originally from Tucson!
I was going out to the store this morning and saw venus approaching the moon. I knew I didn't have much time, so I went around the block and went back in to get my camera.
I stopped by my driveway with a clear view but was so nervous from the coffee and the stress on trying to figure out how to turn the flash off and zoom in, that I had to give up.
By the time I figured out the camera, which was easy as soon as it disappeared behind the moon. I wish i had known in advance. Oh well. It did remind me of this forum though, which I haven't been on in a long time. So what is "Bad" astronomy anyway, other than what I accomplished?
;-)
~Dan
p.s.
you get any good pics from tucson? or elsewhere anyone?

[AutoClub]

OK, so I'm set up imaging this beautiful event. Prime focus Canon 40D behind a Takahashi TOA-130. I got my remote timer to take images (at least at the beginning of the imaging sequence) every 60 seconds. At 05:29 there is "nothing" but the Moon to be seen. At 05:30, a star appears, I believe just on the western side of the Moon. The Moon grazes this star; unfortunately, I don't know the name of it (yet), but hopefully will soon!

Just a short time later, right on time, Venus reappears and it's bright (especially now since it's way above the horizon, trees, neighbor's house tops, etc.) I've got the timer taking images every 30 seconds now...hopefully I can make an animated .gif file of this event.

...as they say in Hollywood, "film at 11."

Man, I'm glad I set the alarm early to witness this!

Thanks, Centaur!!!

Paul

[Tucson_Tim]

Hey Tim !!
I live in Phoenix but am originally from Tucson!
~Dan
p.s.
you get any good pics from tucson? or elsewhere anyone?

Hi Dan. Well, it was perfectly clear last night when I went to bed and I wake up this morning and those vile nasty clouds were there. I got a clear glimpse (between the clouds) from about 05:00 to 05:03 and Venus was still visible to the east of the Moon - very close. Then it was cloud covered. Then at 05:14 it cleared again, but the deed was done - no Venus. Around 5:55 the Sun was up and I looked again (between the clouds) and Venus was already visible to the west. It was very beautiful, despite the clouds.

Sorry Dan, I don't take pictures. I have to live vicariously thru the astrophotographers on this site. I'm sure there will be pictures posted.

Thanks again to Curt for reminding us of this event.

[mahesh]

Hello fellow BAUTzens...

I did see the huge waning crescent Moon low on the horizon, five am to about five fifteen, twenty (UT). And the accompanying Venus too.

The two were like this:

. (

Obviously, seven or so hours before the event, a bit farther apart.

Didn't photograph anything, as it was difficult, on a bus.
Great to see the two and was thinking of y'all, in the west...

Wispy clouds on the horizon, more than the gathering early dawn sunlight,
made any further seeing, difficult.

Thanks every one, for a great follow through...nice pictures, Autoclub!
at your thread.....

best regards

[mahesh]

...I stopped by my driveway with a clear view but was so nervous from the coffee and the stress on trying to figure out how to turn the flash off and zoom in, that I had to give up....

awfully sorry, old chap!
a few years ago, a similar thing happened to me for Saturn / Moon....
early evening...i was so nervous with excitement...we just ended up with binoc views..couldn't set up my 'scope in time...we were lucky to see this...what with dodgy clouds etc...

[Centaur]

Well done, Paul, Dan, Tim and Mahesh. Glad you got to see it (or something). Nice reports. The next significant occultation event for North Americans will be that of Antares on June 6. But I’m afraid that folks on the west coast (and Europe) will be shut out.

[Tucson_Tim]

I'm sure it won't be an occultation (or else we would know about it already) but it looks like we will have a nice conjunction of Venus and Jupiter in the pre-morning sky soon. I'll check . . .

ETA: I guess not. Venus will start to fall back towards the Sun (move around to the far side of the Sun) before it "reaches" Jupiter.

[Centaur]

Tim, you must be referring to Venus and Mars. Venus will pass 4.1° north of Mars on April 24 (tomorrow) and 2.0° to its south on June 21. Jupiter is currently 70° from the Sun, and Venus will not catch up with it this year. Next year on February 16, Venus will pass 32.1 arcseconds south of Jupiter, but the pair will be only 8.7° from the Sun.

EDIT: Whoops, I see by your edit that you already became aware of the situation.

[Tucson_Tim]

Yes, Curt, I think I got a little confused there. I found this info for Venus at wiki:

Greatest brilliancy: April 29, 2009
Greatest western elongation: June 5, 2009 - 45.9°
Superior conjunction: January 11, 2010

[mahesh]

ahem...when I mentioned (at my #17) about the time, five a.m., it was, but obviously not UT.

We are on British Summer Time now. GMT+one.

my error.