Lunar + Mars (after occultation)

[+Bino-viewer]

Good morning.

 

I was wide awake at 04:30hrs so set the scope up (pointing out the front door, as you do) and watched Mars

as it made its approach towards the dazzlingly bright moon, (100% sunlit) and followed it until it disappeared completely at 04:58

Despite being blindingly bright (no filters at 5 o'clock in the morning !) the view through the big refractor and 35mm eyepiece was

a memorable one and one to remember.

In fact, i think its the first major occultation of a bright planet that i've ever seen.

I've seen very close conjunctions of Venus, Jupiter & Saturn before, but never an actual occultation till today, so its one off the bucket list.

 

I'd decided to view it visually before it disappeared behind the moon, and then try to grab an image after Mars reappeared an hour later, 

but it had clouded over somewhat, but i still managed a couple of half decent shots, with the clouds acting as makeshift filters.

Here it is, thanks for looking 🙂

 

06:15hrs, about 15mins after reappearance

(Not for POTM)

 

Edited December 8, 2022 by Bino-viewer

[+Bino-viewer]

One more, just after Mars' reappearance at 06:05hrs

 

[+Glafnazur]

Nice Rob. I remember viewing an occultation of Saturn with my old 8" Orion Europa, absolutely stunning. I was awake about half an hour before last night's event and managed to get a view through the trees at the back of the house but rather than stay awake I wimped out and went back to sleep 😆

[+Derbyshire Dave]

Nice job Rob

[+Bino-viewer]

Thankyou.

 

There's some super images of it on SGL and elsewhere.

 

Check out this one which is on a US Facebook group i follow (TEC-Scopes) by Mark Johnstone using a 160mm scope in Scottsdale, Arizona.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1402887399774482/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=5983313825065127

[+Bino-viewer]

And here's a thought,

 

The last 2 full moons have brought together interesting coincidences....

 

This mornings full moon, which was less than an hour past its 'fullest point', occulted Mars, which was also at opposition at the same time.

 

Last months full moon on November 8/9  had an occultation of Uranus, during the total phase of a Lunar eclipse !!

 

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Next year, i think theres another Uranus occultation on New Years day Jan 1st.

Mars is also very close to the moon on Jan 3 2023

[Clive]

1 hour ago, Bino-viewer said:

... Next year, i think theres another Uranus occultation on New Years day Jan 1st ...

Yes, but I think it's only just occulted from the Midlands (the graze track runs south of Birmingham and Norwich). There's also Jupiter on May 17 (also close to a graze in the Midlands) and Venus on Nov 9 both of which unfortunately are daylight events.