9 November Venus lunar occultation key facts<\/strong><\/h2>The occultation<\/a> takes place during daylight hours, which isn\u2019t much of an issue for Venus.<\/p>Currently shining at mag. \u20134.2, it\u2019s possible to pick the planet out of a bright blue sky with the naked eye so long as you know where to look.<\/p>
The Moon will be at a 15%-lit waning crescent phase on the morning of 9 November, separated from the Sun by 45 degrees.\u00a0<\/p>
The crescent Moon<\/a> should be fairly easy to locate in daylight but to guarantee finding it, catch it before sunrise.<\/p>Given clear skies and dark-sky conditions, the crescent Moon near brilliant Venus should be pretty stunning.<\/p>
Moonrise from the UK\u2019s centre is around 02:42 UT, Venus appearing just before 03:00 UT above the eastern horizon.<\/p>
The occultation occurs 2 hours 20 minutes after sunrise.<\/p>![\"Lunar](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/lunar-occultation-venus-9-november-2023-1024x683.jpg?fit=800%2C534\")
Lunar occultation of Venus captured by Shreya Roy, Kolkata, India, 24 March 2023. Equipment: Nikon D5600 DSLR, Nikkor 70\u2013300mm lens, Digitek tripod<\/figcaption><\/figure>Equipment and settings<\/strong><\/h2>The brightness of both subjects means they can be captured with many types of cameras and lens\/telescope combinations.<\/p>
For example, a DSLR and telephoto lens will frame the Moon and Venus in the same shot, while a high-frame-rate camera attached to a telescope can give a more magnified view. \u00a0<\/p>
As the Moon is moving east relative to Venus, it\u2019s the bright edge of the Moon which covers the planet. <\/p>
This is easy to see and it should be relatively straightforward to frame the disappearance event with a higher magnification setup.<\/p>
We would however, advise against an image scale that has Venus filling the frame; this would lose the impact and substance of the occultation.<\/p>
Covering say 20% of the lunar limb in a single shot should be fine.<\/p>![\".](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/05\/04.MoonAndVenus-9a9e4f0.jpg\")
Venus after lunar occultationIsmaeel Moinuddin, Lahore, Pakistan, 24 March 2023Equipment: Canon 1100D DSLR camera, Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ refractor and mount<\/figcaption><\/figure>What the Venus occultation will look like<\/strong><\/h2>Venus will have a gibbous phase of 58% and an apparent diameter of 20 arcseconds, one-90th the Moon\u2019s apparent diameter, comparable in apparent size to the dark 46km crater Billy, which lies to the north of the disappearance point.<\/p>
One surprising thing to note from the occultation is just how much brighter than the Moon Venus appears.<\/p>
This sets the upper level for exposure settings and may render the Moon\u2019s surface darker than you\u2019d like. <\/p>
If you decide to capture the planet and Moon separately for a subsequent composition, that\u2019s fine, but do make sure this is put in the description of the final shot to avoid any future confusion. \u00a0<\/p>
The reappearance of Venus will be harder to deal with because the planet will appear from behind the Moon\u2019s dark edge, a boundary which won\u2019t be visible during daylight.<\/p>
Here, a more relaxed image scale will help to take the pressure off, albeit resulting in a smaller image of Venus.<\/p>
However you decide to capture the event, the rarity of a lunar occultation of a planet really makes the result worth putting in the effort for. Good luck and clear skies for 9 November. <\/p>![\"How](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/05\/Photograph-lunar-occultation-venus-06-3e538aa-e1611661459139.jpg\")
Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>Equipment<\/strong><\/h2>- DSLR or equivalent with telephoto lens (300mm )<\/li><\/ul>
or<\/p>
- High-frame-rate camera with a telescope.<\/li>
- Tracking mount<\/li><\/ul>
Photograph the Venus occultation, step-by-step<\/h2>Step 1<\/h3>![\"photograph](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/photograph-venus-occultation-step-01-1024x661.jpg?fit=800%2C516\")
<\/figure>Decide how you\u2019ll find the Moon and Venus on the morning of 9 November.<\/p>
It\u2019s worth getting up before sunrise and locating both objects against a dark twilight sky. This makes for an interesting photo in its own right.<\/p>
If you have a tracking mount, centre on the Moon, continuing to follow it through to the occultation.<\/p>
Step 2<\/h3>![\"photograph](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/photograph-venus-occultation-step-02-1024x660.jpg?fit=800%2C516\")
<\/figure>Plan what image scale you want for the disappearance and reappearance events.<\/p>
Disappearance is easier to zoom in on because you can see Venus and where the edge of the Moon will be before the event.<\/p>
Reappearance is much harder because you can\u2019t see Venus or the Moon\u2019s edge before the event occurs.<\/p>
Step 3<\/h3>![\"photograph](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/photograph-venus-occultation-step-03-1024x659.jpg?fit=800%2C515\")
<\/figure>If you\u2019re using a DSLR or equivalent fitted to a telephoto lens or telescope, frame the Moon\u2019s edge to your preference.<\/p>
Aligning the Moon so its equator is parallel to your frame\u2019s long edge is helpful as both events occur south of the lunar equator.<\/p>
In other words, you can zoom in to cover just the lower half of the Moon.<\/p>
Step 4<\/h3>![\"photograph](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/photograph-venus-occultation-step-04-1024x660.jpg?fit=800%2C516\")
<\/figure>A shot of the entire Moon is the safest option, but the planet will appear small.<\/p>
Focus on Venus, getting it as sharp as you can. If possible, grab shots at regular intervals before the event, adjusting the ISO low.<\/p>
With a DSLR, it\u2019s likely Venus\u2019s disc will be over-exposed, so try to avoid the planet bloating beyond its edge.<\/p>
Step 5<\/h3>![\"photograph](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/photograph-venus-occultation-step-05-1024x911.jpg?fit=800%2C712\")
<\/figure>A high-frame-rate camera can get you in closer to the action.<\/p>
If you have a mono camera, consider using an IR-pass filter to darken the background sky.<\/p>
Adjust your exposure carefully to avoid over-exposing Venus.<\/p>
Low gain and short exposures should allow you to keep your capture sequences down to a preferable length; ideally they\u2019ll be just a few seconds.\u00a0<\/p>
Step 6<\/h3>![\"photograph](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/11\/photograph-venus-occultation-step-06-1024x660.jpg?fit=800%2C516\")
<\/figure>At the point of occultation, keep exposures very short to freeze the action.<\/p>
Consider recording the event as a high-frame-rate video.<\/p>
Extract still frames via a movie player or utility such as VirtualDub<\/a>. However you display your final results, include all the capture details on the image.<\/p>
Currently shining at mag. \u20134.2, it\u2019s possible to pick the planet out of a bright blue sky with the naked eye so long as you know where to look.<\/p>
The Moon will be at a 15%-lit waning crescent phase on the morning of 9 November, separated from the Sun by 45 degrees.\u00a0<\/p>
The crescent Moon<\/a> should be fairly easy to locate in daylight but to guarantee finding it, catch it before sunrise.<\/p> Given clear skies and dark-sky conditions, the crescent Moon near brilliant Venus should be pretty stunning.<\/p> Moonrise from the UK\u2019s centre is around 02:42 UT, Venus appearing just before 03:00 UT above the eastern horizon.<\/p> The occultation occurs 2 hours 20 minutes after sunrise.<\/p> The brightness of both subjects means they can be captured with many types of cameras and lens\/telescope combinations.<\/p> For example, a DSLR and telephoto lens will frame the Moon and Venus in the same shot, while a high-frame-rate camera attached to a telescope can give a more magnified view. \u00a0<\/p> As the Moon is moving east relative to Venus, it\u2019s the bright edge of the Moon which covers the planet. <\/p> This is easy to see and it should be relatively straightforward to frame the disappearance event with a higher magnification setup.<\/p> We would however, advise against an image scale that has Venus filling the frame; this would lose the impact and substance of the occultation.<\/p> Covering say 20% of the lunar limb in a single shot should be fine.<\/p> Venus will have a gibbous phase of 58% and an apparent diameter of 20 arcseconds, one-90th the Moon\u2019s apparent diameter, comparable in apparent size to the dark 46km crater Billy, which lies to the north of the disappearance point.<\/p> One surprising thing to note from the occultation is just how much brighter than the Moon Venus appears.<\/p> This sets the upper level for exposure settings and may render the Moon\u2019s surface darker than you\u2019d like. <\/p> If you decide to capture the planet and Moon separately for a subsequent composition, that\u2019s fine, but do make sure this is put in the description of the final shot to avoid any future confusion. \u00a0<\/p> The reappearance of Venus will be harder to deal with because the planet will appear from behind the Moon\u2019s dark edge, a boundary which won\u2019t be visible during daylight.<\/p> Here, a more relaxed image scale will help to take the pressure off, albeit resulting in a smaller image of Venus.<\/p> However you decide to capture the event, the rarity of a lunar occultation of a planet really makes the result worth putting in the effort for. Good luck and clear skies for 9 November. <\/p> or<\/p> Decide how you\u2019ll find the Moon and Venus on the morning of 9 November.<\/p> It\u2019s worth getting up before sunrise and locating both objects against a dark twilight sky. This makes for an interesting photo in its own right.<\/p> If you have a tracking mount, centre on the Moon, continuing to follow it through to the occultation.<\/p> Plan what image scale you want for the disappearance and reappearance events.<\/p> Disappearance is easier to zoom in on because you can see Venus and where the edge of the Moon will be before the event.<\/p> Reappearance is much harder because you can\u2019t see Venus or the Moon\u2019s edge before the event occurs.<\/p> If you\u2019re using a DSLR or equivalent fitted to a telephoto lens or telescope, frame the Moon\u2019s edge to your preference.<\/p> Aligning the Moon so its equator is parallel to your frame\u2019s long edge is helpful as both events occur south of the lunar equator.<\/p> In other words, you can zoom in to cover just the lower half of the Moon.<\/p> A shot of the entire Moon is the safest option, but the planet will appear small.<\/p> Focus on Venus, getting it as sharp as you can. If possible, grab shots at regular intervals before the event, adjusting the ISO low.<\/p> With a DSLR, it\u2019s likely Venus\u2019s disc will be over-exposed, so try to avoid the planet bloating beyond its edge.<\/p> A high-frame-rate camera can get you in closer to the action.<\/p> If you have a mono camera, consider using an IR-pass filter to darken the background sky.<\/p> Adjust your exposure carefully to avoid over-exposing Venus.<\/p> Low gain and short exposures should allow you to keep your capture sequences down to a preferable length; ideally they\u2019ll be just a few seconds.\u00a0<\/p> At the point of occultation, keep exposures very short to freeze the action.<\/p> Consider recording the event as a high-frame-rate video.<\/p> Extract still frames via a movie player or utility such as VirtualDub<\/a>. However you display your final results, include all the capture details on the image.<\/p>Equipment and settings<\/strong><\/h2>
What the Venus occultation will look like<\/strong><\/h2>
Equipment<\/strong><\/h2>
Photograph the Venus occultation, step-by-step<\/h2>
Step 1<\/h3>
<\/figure>Step 2<\/h3>
<\/figure>Step 3<\/h3>
<\/figure>Step 4<\/h3>
<\/figure>Step 5<\/h3>
<\/figure>Step 6<\/h3>
<\/figure>