Thursday, February 10, 2011
Venus and Vesta (sort of) Thursday 10 Feb 2010
Left image: Venus glows beneath the Scorpion in the early morning sky (Canon IXUS 100IS, 15 second exposure, ASA 400, click to embiggen). Right Image: Magnified view of the area, Vesta should be just between Venus and 21 Sagittarii (click to embiggen).
Venus and the asteroid Vesta have been pretty close recently. At magnitude 7.8, Vesta should be visible in 10x50 binoculars, so I've been trying to get to see them over thepast two nights. Unfortunately, light pollution is pretty bad in that direction, and combined with the glare of Venus itself, I've been unable to pick it out.
Still, the morning sky looks pretty good, and seeing Venus close to the beauties of the Sagittarius/Scorpius border is is justification enough for early rising.
Venus and the asteroid Vesta have been pretty close recently. At magnitude 7.8, Vesta should be visible in 10x50 binoculars, so I've been trying to get to see them over thepast two nights. Unfortunately, light pollution is pretty bad in that direction, and combined with the glare of Venus itself, I've been unable to pick it out.
Still, the morning sky looks pretty good, and seeing Venus close to the beauties of the Sagittarius/Scorpius border is is justification enough for early rising.