Thursday, November 6, 2008

Mercury, Crescent Moon and Swarming Taurids


Before there was the Moon Venus Sunset gatherings, there was the Moon Mercury Sunrise gathering. Mercury being so close to the Sun we don't get to see it that often, May was the last time I was able to image Mercury, that time it was during a Sunset, image below. Well just last week I was able to capture a beautiful 3% Crescent Moon and Mercury complete with jet contrails, image above.




Lots of celestial stuff going on this month. Right now we have swarming Taurids till November 17th, that's right, apparently the the Earth is going through a swarm of space debris left behind by comet 2P/Encke, we go through the debris field left behind by comet 2P/Encke every year producing the Taurid Meteor shower, but this year is a swarming debris field, producing more then average meteors. Also the Leonid Meteor Shower peaks November 17, for both showers look to the East around Midnight for the shows to start. On November 13th we have a conjunction of the Full Moon and the Pleiades Star Cluster, look to the NE around 7:00pm EST for this conjunction.


So after my whiney crybaby complaining poor me I have no entries in my Find And Photograph The Daytime Moon Contest gonna go to my room and eat my worms post a lot of people sent in their photos, cool, problem is I have to judge them now, geez I never think things through, so unbenounced to my wife, she is going to help me judge them and choose a first and second place winner. I told her the other day I had some entries in my blog contest, she gives me that YIKES look and says "You have a blog?", just kidding, she knows I have a blog, but she still gave me that YIKES look, come to think of it I get that look a lot, especially when I told her 1st place wins 50 pairs of Hanna Montana/ Miley Cyrus 3D glasses. I will announce the winners and post all the entries in my next post, either Monday or Tuesday next week.

I'll leave you now with a Crescent Moon and Jupiter gathering animation I took a couple nights ago, see if you can spot Jupiter.


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36 comments:

  1. Nature Nut /JJ LochNovember 6, 2008 at 8:30 AM

    I had no idea about the Swarming Taurids, Bob. Thanks for the heads up. It's amazing what one can miss on a dark night.

    Beautiful photos!!! I've always loved glimpses of Mercury. That planet has fascinated me since I was a kid and it really is a gray one compared to Saturn or Jupiter. Must be because of its closeness to the sun.

    I must keep an eye out for the Leonids. November 17. I have it locked in...around midnight.

    YAY that you had contest entries. :D That was a fun time.

    Have a super day!!! You should have your wife write an alien post here one day. I would love to hear her views. :D

    Hugs, JJ

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  2. SwubirdNovember 6, 2008 at 8:54 AM

    Bob:

    Very funny about your wife not knowing you had a blog. LOL. And you are giving away 50 pairs of 3-D glasses. What a guy.

    Great shots, as usual. Mercury is a rare little planet.

    By the way, the name of that book I was telling you about the other day is, Roving Mars.

    Happy stargazing.

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  3. UnknownNovember 6, 2008 at 10:02 AM

    Gorgeous pictures, Bob. I especially like the one with the hawk flying by the moon. Great shot!

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  4. ShererNovember 6, 2008 at 10:15 AM

    Wow, what fantastic shots Bob, I really enjoyed that crescent rising. Mercury is always a delight to see - you feel special when you see it. (and an idoit when you mistake a helicoptor for it).

    Thanks bob,

    Jesse

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  5. GenieNovember 6, 2008 at 12:07 PM

    Wow, that first photo is so surreal, and there's so much going on in it! Your photos are always great but that one is especially interesting. I love your moon captures.

    Swarming Taurids is news to me, exciting!!!!!

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  6. Bob JohnsonNovember 6, 2008 at 4:48 PM

    Thanks JJ, good luck with the meteor showers, hey my wife used to have a blog way back before they became fashionable, and used to be on facebook, the blog I knew about, facebook I didn't,who knows she may one day post, I'm hoping she'll judge,lol.\m/\m/

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  7. Bob JohnsonNovember 6, 2008 at 4:50 PM

    Thanks swubird, I'll take a look into getting the book, I like Steve, I have "Mars, The NASA Mission Reports,vol1 and 2 quite technical but very informative.\m/\m/

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  8. Bob JohnsonNovember 6, 2008 at 4:51 PM

    Thanks CJ Harley, was quite lucky to get that one.\m/\m/

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  9. Bob JohnsonNovember 6, 2008 at 4:53 PM

    LOL Jesse, I hear you, I think I told you I mistook a plane for Venus, too funny. I love spotting Mercury too, too bad I missed the Mercury transit over the Sun, stupid cloudy day.\m/\m/

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  10. Bob JohnsonNovember 6, 2008 at 4:54 PM

    Thanks Genie, I love the contrails and clouds in it, just adds a little, good luck with the showers if you happen to catch them.\m/\m/

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  11. RWNovember 6, 2008 at 6:53 PM

    Bob drops the ball???? :D

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  12. RuthNovember 6, 2008 at 7:20 PM

    Those horrid Taurids!

    You always manage to crack me up! I loved what you wrote about your wife.

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  13. Bob JohnsonNovember 6, 2008 at 8:17 PM

    Lol Roger, I have learned a whole lot about photo contests as you probably have learned already.

    The main thing I learned it is a very subjective thing, I showed the 4 entries to 12 people and had everyone of the images at one time or another in first place,lol.\m/\m/

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  14. Bob JohnsonNovember 6, 2008 at 8:18 PM

    Thanks Ruth, you really had to be there with the look and all,lol.\m/\m/

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  15. AnonymousNovember 6, 2008 at 11:15 PM

    I work outside every day and have been looking for the daytime moon without luck. Unless you count 7:00 am as the moon sets as day, but I bet that does not qualify.

    Your wife had a blog before they everyone had one? Was it a personal diary type or something else?

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  16. Bob JohnsonNovember 7, 2008 at 12:14 AM

    Hey Will that would count, Yes it was a blog, back in 2000 they had just started with them, a lot of people including me had never heard of the term "blog".\m/\m/

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  17. AnonymousNovember 7, 2008 at 9:22 AM

    This fun on the 17th November, can we see this fun over in the UK at midnightyish too?

    isnt 'Pleiades Star Cluster' the most beautiful set of words ever!?

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  18. Bob JohnsonNovember 7, 2008 at 9:33 AM

    Hi burningwindwill, you sure can even earlier, because night falls earlier for you, same with the Moon Pleiades conjunction, have fun, get binoculars if you can as the Moon will be full and will take away from the naked eye the Pleiades.\m/\m/

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  19. Rose DesRochersNovember 8, 2008 at 12:10 AM

    Great shots Bob. I love the second one of the moon.

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  20. Max-eNovember 8, 2008 at 1:21 AM

    Hi Bob, I am back. Been out of circulation for a while, and have enjoyed catching up on what is happening out in space. I always find your post very interesting and I am going to try and stay up late enough to see the meteor showers.

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  21. Bob JohnsonNovember 8, 2008 at 5:30 AM

    Thanks max-e, good luck with the shower.\m/\m/

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  22. Bob JohnsonNovember 8, 2008 at 5:33 AM

    Thanks Rose, that was one of my better efforts, love the Earthshine and the fact I was also able to get Mercury into the pic.\m/\m/

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  23. zsygabNovember 8, 2008 at 2:24 PM

    the truth is that i'm very dumb in things regarding astronomy, however in the school geography was my favorite study. thanks for the info! your photos are superbly ones! waiting for others... :)

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  24. AnonymousNovember 8, 2008 at 11:52 PM

    What are Taurids?? I can't believe that I don't know. I love the pictures as usual you did a fantastic job. My favorite is the Hawk flying by the moon, so cool!

    I am so glad you finally told your wife about your blog, it is time you know! LOL!

    Love and Blessings,
    AngelBaby

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  25. Charles SappNovember 8, 2008 at 11:54 PM

    I love how your blog has transformed. As an astrophysic geek, I find your blog is like home! I would like to know what equipment you use for your astophotos?

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  26. AnonymousNovember 9, 2008 at 2:37 AM

    you have a super cool blog.

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  27. Bob JohnsonNovember 9, 2008 at 7:03 AM

    Thanks zsygab, hope this blog helps you out with your astronomy, cool, I loved geography too in school.

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  28. Bob JohnsonNovember 9, 2008 at 7:07 AM

    Thanks angelbaby,Taurids are meteors, Taurids are a name given to a type of meteor that seems to radiate or originate from the constellation Taurus.

    I like the Moon and bird pic too, thanks for dropping by angelbaby.\m/\m/

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  29. Bob JohnsonNovember 9, 2008 at 7:13 AM

    Thanks a lot Charles. For my wide angle shots I use a Canon 40D and Tokina 10-17 mm fisheye lens or Canon 17-85 lens, Close up Moon shots I use the 300mm lens. My astro gear, which I use quite a bit now for close up Moons, have a Meade 8" 200 Lxr, do some of my Solar shots with the white filter on it, I use the Meade DSI III color for the camera.\m/\m/

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  30. Bob JohnsonNovember 9, 2008 at 7:14 AM

    Thanks fractalbrothers, and thanks for dropping by.\m/\m/

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  31. virtualjourneyNovember 9, 2008 at 7:40 AM

    (Virtual Voyage) These are lovely shots, Bob. Just come across this lunar crash survival quiz and thought it might amuse you!
    http://www.oneplusyou.com/bb/moon

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  32. Bob JohnsonNovember 9, 2008 at 8:36 AM

    Lol, thanks tide turn for passing on the link, only got 51%, cool link though, at least I probably wouldn't die,lol.\m/\m/

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  33. AnonymousNovember 9, 2008 at 9:24 PM

    wow, your moon photos are great, capturing the details very well.

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  34. Bob JohnsonNovember 9, 2008 at 9:55 PM

    Thanks betchai, and thanks for dropping by.\m/\m/

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  35. AnonymousNovember 10, 2008 at 7:27 AM

    You post the most amazing photos! Thank you for sharing!

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  36. Bob JohnsonNovember 10, 2008 at 9:07 AM

    Thanks so much web-betty!\m/\m/

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