I have been out of commision for the last 6 weeks with a total hip replacement. How ever, it's been so cloudy I don't think I've missed much. As I was recooping in my recliner last night, just after sunset, I noticed an especially bright star just above the horizon in the SW sky. I knew it couldn't be a star because it was so bright….Venus (the evening star)….cool!!
A few minutes later I noticed another less bright object about 2 degrees SW of Venus. Because it wasn't yet dark enough for actual stars to be seen yet I wondered what planet it was. So I went to a current star map to see that it was Mercury….way cool!! It's been years since I actually put eyes on Mercury, and not for lack of trying. I was amazed to see it so far in it's orbit away from the sun and so close to Venus that it could be so easily seen. As I am unable to set up my 12" dob I had to be content with binocular viewing. Then I moved N-NW to view Mars. Then I waited about three more hours and found comet Lov-Joy west of Orion. Not much to brag about with binoculars. Just a blue-green orb and not much of a tail. AGNFSG
Hope to see you all at the next meeting.
Rick Murray