Jungle JunkieSenior Virtual Ranger
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:32 am
Posts: 9704
Location: Zambia, inbetween visits to Knysna
Received this info from the Johannesburg Planetarium
September New Moon
This month the new crescent will be welcomed by the Islamic community, as it marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. The Islamic calendar starts a new month with the sighting of the crescent Moon. New Moon is 12:30pm on Sept 8th; the young crescent should be (easily) first sighted early evening of Thursday 9th. Look for the very thin crescent low in the west as soon as it gets dark.
Saturday 11th: Moon just above Venus
By Saturday, the Moon will have moved on another two days (25 degrees) in its orbit, and will be just above Venus, the extremely bright "evening star". Go have a look as soon as it gets dark on Saturday - this will be a lovely sight!
Occultation of Venus on Saturday afternoon 11th September
The orbit of the Moon this month takes it directly in front of Venus, as viewed from southern Africa. We thus get to see an "occultation" of Venus by the Moon. The occultation takes place during the day . . . but Venus is at its brightest now, and it is possible to see it during the day . . . if you can find it in the huge vastness of blue sky!
At http://www.planetarium.co.za" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; you can find:
* tips for locating the Moon and Venus during the day on Saturday - even if there wasn't an occultation, this is a rare chance to use the Moon to locate and see Venus during the day - look for it before the occultation, while it's still on the dark side of the Moon;
* safety tips - searching the sky with binoculars during the day is not a good idea - if you accidentally point them at the Sun, you will blind yourself;
* times of the occultation for different locations in S Africa - these vary across the country; the occultation is in the afternoon and can last up to 1.5hr.
Next good Venus-Moon occultation for us is March 2023.
Hope this topic is okay to post here?
September New Moon
This month the new crescent will be welcomed by the Islamic community, as it marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. The Islamic calendar starts a new month with the sighting of the crescent Moon. New Moon is 12:30pm on Sept 8th; the young crescent should be (easily) first sighted early evening of Thursday 9th. Look for the very thin crescent low in the west as soon as it gets dark.
Saturday 11th: Moon just above Venus
By Saturday, the Moon will have moved on another two days (25 degrees) in its orbit, and will be just above Venus, the extremely bright "evening star". Go have a look as soon as it gets dark on Saturday - this will be a lovely sight!
Occultation of Venus on Saturday afternoon 11th September
The orbit of the Moon this month takes it directly in front of Venus, as viewed from southern Africa. We thus get to see an "occultation" of Venus by the Moon. The occultation takes place during the day . . . but Venus is at its brightest now, and it is possible to see it during the day . . . if you can find it in the huge vastness of blue sky!
At http://www.planetarium.co.za" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; you can find:
* tips for locating the Moon and Venus during the day on Saturday - even if there wasn't an occultation, this is a rare chance to use the Moon to locate and see Venus during the day - look for it before the occultation, while it's still on the dark side of the Moon;
* safety tips - searching the sky with binoculars during the day is not a good idea - if you accidentally point them at the Sun, you will blind yourself;
* times of the occultation for different locations in S Africa - these vary across the country; the occultation is in the afternoon and can last up to 1.5hr.
Next good Venus-Moon occultation for us is March 2023.
Hope this topic is okay to post here?
