11 November 2005

Observing Location	Parkchester
Observational Period	1700-1800 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	It has been partly cloudy today. The clouds are sharply defined and there is very clear blue sky between them. Tonight it got totally overcast but then it looks like it cleared out really nicely.
Instruments	Naked-eye observing
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Lets give this another try. I wrote up this blog last night and posted it from AvantBlog but it never got here.

When I got home last night the moon was looking really good so I walked up the block a bit to get a view of Venus. The planet was easily spotted down to the south. I went upstairs to get a DVD that needed to go back to the library and came right back down and the moon was behind the clouds. Walking to the end of the block where the street makes a slight dogleg and I was able to see Mars shining bright yellow about 10° up.

The library was closed so I turned around and retraced my steps stopping at the mailbox in mid-block to take another look at the Moon and Venus. From there I went upstairs and grabbed my binoculars. I didn't pass go and didn't collect $200 but ran right downstairs and both the moon and Venus were gone.

I hung out for about half-an-hour and got a few partial views of the Moon when the clouds thinned out, but never saw Venus again.