found mercury an a nice site to behold in daylite using a violet(47)filter,at ra 21.25 dec 17.05 8.4 deg east of the sun. 11.35 est 4.35 ut phase illumination 0.955 just about same size as venus(0.972) is now a small round ball.its still too close to the sun even at high power to see anything worthwhile but its nice to see it again.ill track to overhead,wow its exciting to me.each day it will get better till feb 16 when it will be away from the sun appreciably.
Mercury 1-30-2013 Thru February
Started by
ROBERT FREE
, Jan 30 2013 11:43 AM
20 replies to this topic
#1
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 30 January 2013 - 11:43 AM
#2
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 31 January 2013 - 11:07 AM
blue skies here in south fla,temp 64 deg an windy, but hazy not good seeing at all.mercury ar ra 21.34 dec 16.28 9 deg from sol.using 21 orange filter ,good in haze but still poor.will get much better in days to come.
#3
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 01 February 2013 - 10:36 AM
50deg here an crisp blue skies at 10am est an excellent seeing.mercury slowly pulling away from sun 9.8 deg east an getting closer to earth an growing in size.using 200x an a nice ball but that will change as phase illumination is decreasing.ra 21.39 dec -14.49 an getting easier to pick up in most scopes.i will post some drawings as the phase changes but any markings to be seen if any will be in two weeks. an orange 21 filter helps a bunch to spot it in main scope with at least a 32mm eyepiece or 40mm.
50deg here an crisp blue skies at 10am est an excellent seeing.mercury slowly pulling away from sun 9.8 deg east an getting closer to earth an growing in size.using 200x an a nice ball but that will change as phase illumination is decreasing.ra 21.39 dec -14.49 an getting easier to pick up in most scopes.i will post some drawings as the phase changes but any markings to be seen if any will be in two weeks. an orange 21 filter helps to spot it in main scope with at least a 32mm eyepiece or 40mm. below are positions for almost all the planets an sun.
http://astropixels.c.../venus2013.html
50deg here an crisp blue skies at 10am est an excellent seeing.mercury slowly pulling away from sun 9.8 deg east an getting closer to earth an growing in size.using 200x an a nice ball but that will change as phase illumination is decreasing.ra 21.39 dec -14.49 an getting easier to pick up in most scopes.i will post some drawings as the phase changes but any markings to be seen if any will be in two weeks. an orange 21 filter helps to spot it in main scope with at least a 32mm eyepiece or 40mm. below are positions for almost all the planets an sun.
http://astropixels.c.../venus2013.html
#4
Rick Woods
-
-
-
- Posts: 20,656
- Joined: 27 Jan 2005
In Memoriam
Posted 01 February 2013 - 11:20 AM
Robert,
This is great, that you're going through the work to observe Mercury as more than a star as sunrise/set! Not many folks bother with it.
If you have a #25 red filter, try that too. I found it to be the only one that would allow me to see albedo features. I also found that I needed to use high power.
Good luck; looking forward to your sketches!
Edit: Oops, I see your sig - try the #23a.
This is great, that you're going through the work to observe Mercury as more than a star as sunrise/set! Not many folks bother with it.
If you have a #25 red filter, try that too. I found it to be the only one that would allow me to see albedo features. I also found that I needed to use high power.
Good luck; looking forward to your sketches!
Edit: Oops, I see your sig - try the #23a.
#5
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 01 February 2013 - 12:05 PM
rick,thx for the kind response,i actually use a lite red 23a,an find it somewhat better than the 25 red but it might be cause im using a c-8 or getting older an eyes dimming a bit looking all these years.lol i also find a light violet 47 good as well,an i always use a 32-40mm wf eyepiece with an orange 21 an its much easier to spot.ill try that deep red 25 again.an stay in touch.
#6
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 04 February 2013 - 10:31 AM
crisp n pleasant 63deg at 10.15 am est gmt 3.16 aft.mercury getting brighter an phase illumination increasing heading to gibbous phase in a week or so an closer to earth each day.mag -1.1 about half the size of venus in telescope,an looking better each day.right now most any scope can catch mercury in daylite if polar aligned an taking proper precautions near sun.M is 11.9 deg east of sun an will hit greatest elongation feb 16th. will make some drawings as the phases change.for you newcomers look low in west after sundown for a pinkish bright star ,hard to miss with a clear horizon.you can catch the phase change each day but much better in daylite.clear skies.
#7
Rick Woods
-
-
-
- Posts: 20,656
- Joined: 27 Jan 2005
In Memoriam
Posted 05 February 2013 - 01:20 AM
Seeing any surface features yet?
#8
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 05 February 2013 - 02:24 PM
mercury ar ra 22.06 dec 20.03 -1.1 mag at 2pm est 7.14 ut a glorious site at almost its high pt in the sky for me here in fla where i enjoy a 10 degree advantage over northern observers.its now in the gibbous phase an heading rapidly to the half phase at it pulls away from the sun.np with 267X an just perfect weather an blue skies as usual in winter, no real markings as of yet as there rare anyway,but from year to year i have seen them an verified.ill need another few days to update. merc is 12.6 deg east of sun an moving fast phase illumination is increasing 0.891 an a very pretty site. a lite red 23a for me is just perfect as it definitely pronouces the planet.i just luv looking at it.its in my scope right now as i track it,it gets better when it hits its high pt in sky about 3.30 est.i used the sun an venus to offset to it.
#9
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 07 February 2013 - 11:37 AM
MERCURY feb 7 at ra 22.18 dec 11.35 14 deg east of sun at mag -1.1 an a tad larger than venus. mercury 5.6 venus 5.5. at 11.30 est.slight clouds but blue sky. as it gets higher the seeing gets real good an its phase very distinct in about 100x to 350x.a fine sight but again daylite observations far surpasses the evening twilite to view this planet as atmospheric distortion increases an same can be said an worse for venus near horizon.drawings in a week or so,also when it gets higher in the sky about 3pm est the images get a lot better an sharper.
#10
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 07 February 2013 - 03:03 PM
now 2.45 est 7.45 in london. mercury at its zenith pt an looking very sharp nearly half phase an an ez spot in almost any scope.just try dialing in on its declination.-11.30 degrees an your polar aligned at least 1/2 to 1 deg is ok. sweep in ra acenscion east of the sun slowly in the lowest power ep that you can find at least 32mm with it focused on a star nite before an you should pick up mercury.just remember its 14 deg east of sun an lower by 4deg than the sun.. suns dec is -15deg.19secs. so 10 degrees is like a fist streched out from the sun an add 3 fingers thats about where it is.but if you put mercs dec to -11.30 you should see it but move slowly.you cannot see it in a finder till maybe a week. when you do pump up the power at least 100X .any afternoon between 2-3 is the best time.hope a few report.
#11
Centaur
-
-
- Posts: 2,792
- Joined: 12 Jul 2004
member
Posted 07 February 2013 - 06:26 PM
Mercury will appear at its best for this apparition in about ten days. See my article and charts at www.CurtRenz.com/mercury . The evening apparition in May-June will be slightly superior for northern hemisphere observers, except for Rick Woods in Arizona. 
#12
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 08 February 2013 - 02:04 PM
Mercury feb 8th at 22hrs48 min dec -10.49 temp 77deg blue skies an very nice seeing conditions.scale 8, 1-10 10 best.almost at its height an moving closer to earth mag -1.1 .an not quite 15 deg east of sun.using mag 60x to 330x 6mm ep an easily see it not quite half.getting better each day till the 16th greatest eastern elongation.a wratten 23a lite red filter really makes it better.orange 21 is also very good an ez on the eyes.hope to catch some markings but again these are rare but we shall see.
#13
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 10 February 2013 - 01:22 PM
FEB 10-2013 sunday morning.thx be to god. mercury at ra 21.35 dec -9.17 an very near dichotomy(greek-cut in half) this half phase easily seen in any scope size,but in daylite at least 100x is needed an im using 100x to 267x today.its 15.9deg east of sun,an getting larger.mag is -1.0 an image steady today in partly cloudy skies an 75 deg at 1.15 est UT 6.21 pm. a very nice site in scope an in a few days ill try to catch some markings an a few drawings later.
#14
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 11 February 2013 - 02:59 PM
feb 11,Merc at ra 22.42 -8.32 16.9 deg East.magnitude dropping to 0.9 as disk size increasing but phase side decreasing,so less reflection of light.just a tad less than 1/2 an a nice site with an orange 21 filter which seems the best one to use.its 2.45 est n 7.45 ut an mercury at its high pt in sky an the best of all to view it.contrast very nice an defined in a celestron 7.5 mm an 10mm old type.hope to get some pentax an baaders to see what they have.read so much on them.
#15
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 12 February 2013 - 04:39 PM
feb 12 ra 22.47 dec -7.46 16.9 deg east of sun mag 0.9 an just about in half,an easily seen. phase illumination 0.707 a very nice site in my c-8 powers 100x to 276x nice view with orange 21 filter.blocks out the blue an better contrast. 3.45 est -8.45 ut time.
#16
Vince Tramazzo
-
-
- Posts: 311
- Joined: 21 Aug 2004
Ranger 4
Posted 12 February 2013 - 09:23 PM
Just shot this at 18:30 MST. Faint Mercury located above the trees. I just used an Olympus XZ-1 on auto-program, handheld.
Attached Thumbnails
#17
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 12 February 2013 - 10:43 PM
very nice pic vince,i saw it at 6.45 est here in florida myself today with naked eye also.great work.
#18
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 17 February 2013 - 12:28 PM
feb 17 12.00 noon est 5.00 aft UT. ra 23.08 hrs dec -4.17 min. merc has started into the crescent phase for the next few days increasing in size yet dimmer at 0.4 mag as illumination decreases an its very noticable in telescope.its now at greatest elongation 18.1 deg west of sun.a really nice site in scope an i tested a celestron ultima old 1 1/4 7.5mm ep against my new baader hyperion 8mm eyepiece an the baader outperformed it,with a wider field and slightly better but notieacble view .next i will hope to test a pentax xw, if i can get one in time.i will by next week hope to incude drawings of mercury and its phases an shadings when possible.btw i used an orange 21 filter an 23a red an the orange worked great.
#19
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 17 February 2013 - 03:08 PM
update now that its later on in the day,mercury looks even better cause its higher in sky 3pm est 8pm ut.a beautiful sight in my c-8.using an 8mm baader ep n 21 orange filter.at about 4pm will be at its best.
#20
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 18 February 2013 - 04:11 PM
FEB 18 Merc at 23.11 -3.41 just below the ceslestial equator.mag 0.3 dimming but in crescent phase so less light is reflected.phase illumination 0.452 still at 18.1 deg east of sun. partly cloude here but blue skies in florida ,70deg at 3.30 est 8.30 ut and in london.its a very nice site in scope using baader 8mm(235x) an #47 violet filter due to the slight haze but steady image.i noticed some shading at the terminator.i want to see how thin mercury gets but like i said the magnitude is dropping. ie. i noticed the qrt moon on opposite side of the sky.
#21
ROBERT FREE
-
-
topic starter
- Posts: 258
- Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Mariner 2
Posted 19 February 2013 - 08:08 PM
feb 19 crescent really thinning now.an much dimmer 0.1 mag have to really look carefully in daylite with main scope. 200x power needed at least.
CNers have asked about a donation box for Cloudy Nights over the years, so here you go. Donation is not required by any means, so please enjoy your stay.
Recent Topics
-
-
-
-
Astro-Photography and AI for the Maths. I tried it out.Spaceman 56 - Today, 02:25 PM
Beginning Deep Sky Imaging
-
-
-
-
-
-
Anyone try to image a target blocked by the new moon?rj144 - Today, 01:55 PM
Beginning Deep Sky Imaging
