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Date: 09 Aug 2006 08:27:35
From: Willie R. Meghar
Subject: Mercury Rising
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It's not just a Bruce Willis movie! I'm not referring to the recent
heat wave that swept across the continental U.S. I'm not even
referring to rising temperatures in saa.
At 5:20am local time, without my glasses, I glanced out my bedroom
window and spotted Venus. I knew from reading saa that Mercury ought
to be nearby so I grabbed a small pair of binoculars and stepped
outside.
Two planets shared the same low powered binocular field. Venus was
higher in the sky, brighter, and whiter. A few degrees below Venus
was Mercury, shining brightly (but not as brightly as Venus) with an
orangish tint. No phases nor disks were apparent in the 7x
binoculars. Seeing was poor. Yet, having our solar system's two
innermost planets in the same binocular field surrounded by the
brightening, blue, twilight sky was satisfying.
I stepped back inside to get my eyeglasses. Yep, the sky hadn't yet
brightened enough to swallow Mercury. Both planets were easily
visible to the corrected naked eye.
It would have been a good time to have a telescope set up (to follow
the planets higher up into better seeing); but sleep was still needed
and other plans had already been made.
For the rest of the gang: If you get a chance, get up early and check
out our innermost planets. Alternatively, you could set up a
telescope after sunrise and still find the planets, either by using a
bit of gray matter or by using a go-to mount. Mercury is one of the
least frequently observed planets. IIRC, it's been said (true or
false?) that Copernicus never saw Mercury.
Willie R. Meghar
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Date: 09 Aug 2006 14:52:57
From: Phil Wheeler
Subject: Re: Mercury Rising
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Willie R. Meghar wrote:
> If you get a chance, get up early and check
> out our innermost planets. Alternatively, you could set up a
> telescope after sunrise and still find the planets, either by using a
> bit of gray matter or by using a go-to mount. Mercury is one of the
> least frequently observed planets.
Thanks, Willie. I'm up early daily so I'll give it a try tomorrow, sky
willing .. with my Canon 12x36 IS binos.
Phil
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