See a VERY young moon tonight (3/16/10)

[Ren Butler]

From Sky & Telescope:



Tuesday, March 16

Look low in the west in bright twilight for Venus and, to its right, the thin crescent Moon, as shown at right. In the Eastern time zone of North America, the Moon is only 26 or 27 hours old [it was new at 5:01 EDT on 3/15/10]. By the time twilight falls on the West Coast, the Moon is 29 or 30 hours old. Does this sighting set a young-Moon record for you?

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Weather looks perfect here in Indy. I'll need to find a very flat western horizon. Venus will be a great reference marker as it is very easy to see. This would be my personal record.

[Truth Detector]

Thanks.

I love stuff like this.

[Ren Butler]

BTW, the size and brightness of the objects are exaggerated in the diagram.

Also, sunset is 7:52 tonight for Indy, so the best time to look will be between 8:15 and 8:30. Adjust for your locality.

[Jamski]

Ah, the classic "fingernail moon".

Hopefully the sky will clear and we'll get our Dob out. Thanks, Ren!

[Indy-One]

Thanks Ren.

[Ren Butler]

Stupid clouds are making me worried. It was crystal clear earlier.

[Jamski]

Stupid clouds are making me worried. It was crystal clear earlier.

Same here. Tomorrow might be better, or so it looks.

[Ren Butler]

Same here. Tomorrow might be better, or so it looks.

That would be nice, but a 27-hour moon is much more special than a 51-hour moon.

I saw a 38-hour moon a couple summers ago, and it seemed impossibly slim. I could see it with my good eyesight, but it was so slim that I had to work for a while to help some others find it.

[Ren Butler]

Just caught it in my binos between clouds. Spectacular!

When a little cloud moves in a minute, I'm hoping to catch it naked.

[Ren Butler]

It's actually an easy naked sight now, if you know where to look. It's better to start with binos, and then try it naked. You probably wouldn't even know it's there if you didn't know about in advance.

[Truth Detector]

Clouds

[Ren Butler]

Clouds

Your 33,333rd post.

Don't worry, it's just a number.

[skypigeon]

Just caught it in my binos between clouds. Spectacular!

When a little cloud moves in a minute, I'm hoping to catch it naked.

Cosmic pervert.

[Coyote]

I'm hoping to catch it naked.

So, was it cold enough that your neighbors saw a blue moon?

Wish I'd seen the thread sooner. I'd have been looking straight toward downtown so even early I may have been messed up by lights, but I would have tried. Missed it though.

Two years back we had a full lunar eclipse. Around nine at night. I was downtown and you could see it clearly. I stopped and watched for a long time, saw it from well before complete to well after, and each person I pointed it out to just sort of said "huh, neat" and just went on their way with barely a glance. I guess there's not much curiosity among the downtown crowd in Nashville for celestial happenings. I guess those with scopes in the area had good viewing of the rings of Saturn. Wish I'd planned it out and done that, but I forgot it was coming until I saw it start.

[Jamski]

So, was it cold enough that your neighbors saw a blue moon?

Wish I'd seen the thread sooner. I'd have been looking straight toward downtown so even early I may have been messed up by lights, but I would have tried. Missed it though.

Two years back we had a full lunar eclipse. Around nine at night. I was downtown and you could see it clearly. I stopped and watched for a long time, saw it from well before complete to well after, and each person I pointed it out to just sort of said "huh, neat" and just went on their way with barely a glance. I guess there's not much curiosity among the downtown crowd in Nashville for celestial happenings. I guess those with scopes in the area had good viewing of the rings of Saturn. Wish I'd planned it out and done that, but I forgot it was coming until I saw it start.

Out west of town it never peeped out from behind the clouds. Maybe tonight.

Remember the solar we had several years ago? I was outside with my filters looking up at it, and people would come by, look at me like I was an idiot, and walk away. But wait till August of 2017; totality will be running right through us and we'll have a ringside seat.

Solar Eclipse Map

[Ren Butler]

Out west of town it never peeped out from behind the clouds. Maybe tonight.

Remember the solar we had several years ago? I was outside with my filters looking up at it, and people would come by, look at me like I was an idiot, and walk away. But wait till August of 2017; totality will be running right through us and we'll have a ringside seat.

Solar Eclipse Map

And in 2024, a total solar eclipse will pass directly over Indianapolis!

[Jamski]

And in 2024, a total solar eclipse will pass directly over Indianapolis!

I'm doing all I can to ensure that I'll be alive to see both!

[clovis]

Thanks for the FYI on the moon. I was able to check it out on the 17th. Pretty cool stuff.

[Ren Butler]

Thanks for the FYI on the moon. I was able to check it out on the 17th. Pretty cool stuff.

Yeah, it was still pretty nice last night, especially with bright Venus to its lower left and perfect sky conditions here in Indy.

But the moon was nothing last night compared to Tuesday night!

[greg b]

Saw it last night setting over Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. (we are on vacation)

[dirtfan]

Didn't have the camera with us when the moon came up, (having a burger and green beer at San Clemente's Duke's Bitchin Burgers) but did catch the sunset over Catalina

[Truth Detector]

Yeah, it was still pretty nice last night, especially with bright Venus to its lower left and perfect sky conditions here in Indy.

But the moon was nothing last night compared to Tuesday night!

Couldn't see it Tuesday but it was plenty cool last night. I kept looking at Venus and waiting for it to move because it just *had* to be a jet! Very cool & thanks again for the heads up.

[Ren Butler]

Wow, tonight is one of the youngest moons I've ever seen!

Very tiny crescent just south of west.

In the Midwest, you still have a couple hours to spot it, clear skies permitting.