Astroblog: Binocular Venus Challenge

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Binocular Venus Challenge

Okay, so I went out with both my 10x50 and 7x50 binoculars and had a look at Venus. It sort of looked longer than it was wide, but there was so much glare and internal optic reflections that I couldn't be sure. Perhaps if you look in the very early twilight, when there is less glare from ultrabright Venus you can see the crescent. I'll have a look this evening if the cloud goes away. Has anyone else seen Venus as a cresent in binoculars? Astronomical grade 25x150 super-binoculars don't count.

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 7:01 am

Comments:

Hi Ian,
During daytime observations, I can tell that Venus is at least quarter phase in 7*50 bins, handheld. In tripod-mounted 22x60's, a cinch (but they don't count). Twilight Venus flares too much.
peter

# posted by

Tag : 9:02 am

Thanks for the info Peter, I suspected as much. I'll have a go at various times (daytime, just after sunset, 15 min before civil twilight etc.) to see if there is an optimal period that balances safety (novices weilding binoculars near the Sun make me nervous, even if a building is in the way of the Sun) against crescentness.

# posted by

Ian Musgrave : 10:19 pm