Venus during the day

[Guest Justin]

It might interest you to know that it is entirely possible to view Venus during sunlight hours. I saw Venus at 50x with my 5" Celestron at 12:42pm with the Sun high in the sky! Sorry about the amateur pictures, I dont normally do them.

[Tweedledee]

Very nice.

You can see the brighter stars easily down to about 3rd magnitude as well if you have goto or know where to look.

Make sure you keep well away from the sun though!

[Guest]

I've seen Venus several times in daylight without optical aid but never at mid-day.

[+Bino-viewer]

Venus is starting to look near its best....i must get the scope on it.

I can't see the western horizon from my location, but as it gets ever higher i'll soon have a chance.

This apparition looks like being a very good one.

Some dates :

 

Greatest elongation east of the sun ; its greatest angular distance which is 45*, occurs on June 6 (Dichotomy, a half-moon type phase occurs at around this time)

 

On the evenings of June 30 & July 1 it will begin conjunction with Jupiter, which should look spectacular.

 

Greatest brilliancy for this evening apparition, occurs on July 10  ( Mag -4.5 )

 

This is when, for me anyway, it gets exciting as it then rapidly swings across us getting bigger and bigger before finally reaching inferior conjunction with the sun on August 15

I always like to see how close i can view it before inferior conjunction occurs.

My record, and this is just casual observing, is 6 days. 

I remember being able to detect its tiny crescent shape with just my naked eye. I'll look again this year to see if i can beat my record.

I seem to remember reading something a few years ago that said if Venus has a very favourable inferior conjunction, where it passes to the north of the sun, it can

be followed all the way through i.e. you can see it in the evening & in the following morning. Not sure if that will happen this year.....?

 

It should be visible again by the end of August in the morning sky, with things 'in reverse' but remaining prominent for the rest of the year. 

All in all, a great year for our evil twin.

[Tweedledee]

Interesting info thanks Rob.

My record, and this is just casual observing, is 6 days. 

I remember being able to detect its tiny crescent shape with just my naked eye. I'll look again this year to see if i can beat my record.

.

Brilliant. Wish my eyes were that good

[tuckstar]

If your viewing Venus in the day please please please be very aware of the suns position else it could be the last thing you'll see!!!

[Werisit]

It's a good idea to hide in a shadow with the sun just out of view. That way you can't accidentally look at it. 

[+Bino-viewer]

I'm going to see if i can bag it Friday week around 09:45

With around 90% of the sun eclipsed it may be detectable.

[philjay]

Try Jupiter next, now thats a challenge :-)

[Guest Justin]

I have to sight the Sun to gain accurate RA-Dec settings but I do this by finderscope projection only. Then it is a simple step to aim the main scope at the predicted coordinate. I can use the finder to sight Venus, being the tiniest white dot. Then its onto the main scope which gives the best focus result when aperture is stepped down to 50mm. Due to the reduced contrast between Venus and the background illumination it is a better time to view the object and the phase is easily seen. Of course, with a GOTO scope you might be stuck since you need 3 objects for initial guidance.

[Guest Justin]

Finally, this is what you can see thru the finderscope. Venus is the dot just below the crosshair, it actually takes a practised eye to see it. You are more likely to see Venus initially via pan and scan of the main scope, then when checking the finder and you will see it there too.