Venus seen subsequent to and above the crescent moon simply earlier than a daytime occultation in 2015
NASA
Venus will disappear behind the moon for about an hour on 9 November for viewers in a number of components of the world. Here is what these lunar occultations are and the way and when to watch this one occur.
What is the lunar occultation of Venus?
On 9 November, the moon will move between Earth and Venus, making the latter disappear behind the moon for about an hour, earlier than it reappears on the different aspect. This phenomenon, referred to as a lunar occultation of Venus, might be seen from most of Europe, the western half of Russia, in addition to Greenland and a few of northern Africa and western Asia. For everybody else, the two our bodies will simply move shut by one another.
What time is it taking place?
In areas the place you’ll be able to see the occultation, it is going to occur throughout the daytime, however precisely when will differ relying on the place you might be. In London, it’s due to start round 9.45 am, round 10.50 am native time in Paris and round 10.26 am in Tromsø in Norway, for instance. Use software program like Stellarium or web sites like In The Sky to test precisely when the occultation will begin in your location.
How to see this occasion
The greatest manner to view it’s to discover Venus about 20 minutes earlier than the time the occultation will begin. The planet might be close to the moon, which might be a small crescent, simply 15 per cent illuminated. Venus might be slightly below the moon and to the left.
Because it’s throughout the day, it is perhaps simpler to discover Venus utilizing binoculars or a small telescope. But keep in mind, at any time when utilizing such units in the daytime, make certain not to look anyplace close to the solar.
Once you’ve got discovered the planet, you’ll be able to watch because it strikes in direction of the moon and, ultimately, passes behind it. About an hour later, Venus will reappear on the different aspect of the moon, barely increased in the sky than when it disappeared.
When will the subsequent lunar occultation of Venus occur?
They are uncommon, and each is simply seen from sure components of the world. This is as a result of the moon seems in a barely totally different half of the sky relying on the place you might be on Earth, as a result of of a phenomenon known as parallax.
The subsequent lunar occultation of Venus might be in April 2024, mainly seen from components of North America. It might be seen once more from Europe in September 2025.
The earliest recorded lunar occultation of Venus was in July 1476, by Abraham Zacuto, a medieval polymath who labored as the astronomer royal for the king of Portugal at the time.
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