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#Post#: 26072--------------------------------------------------
Planet Mercury
By: Emlyn Morgan Date: December 17, 2022, 3:45 pm
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Until tonight I had never seen the elusive planet Mercury in all
my seventy-seven years.
I used to live in a city where much light pollution and numerous
buildings hid the sky. And although I now have an uninterrupted
westerly view of the Atlantic, I had cataracts until they were
removed a couple of years ago and we often have ocean fog
obscuring the horizon.
Tonight, however everything I could wish for: the sun set in a
clear sky and we saw the green flash, which needing a dry
horizon, is rare here. Then lovely Venus appeared, and before
she set just a half hour after the sun, there he suddenly was in
the same direction: Mercury, quite clear.
Mars and Jupiter were already high above and clear to behold.
What more could I ask for?
Today is Moroccan Independence day. Fifty dignitaries are dining
in the nearby salle de fete and a troupe of Saharawi musicians
and dancers are performing below my balcony.
A perfect evening.
#Post#: 26073--------------------------------------------------
Re: Planet Mercury
By: Emlyn Morgan Date: December 18, 2022, 2:42 am
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What more could I ask? I forgot to mention Saturn who also
appeared high in the southwest as the sky darkened. All the
naked-eye planets in one evening before bedtime!
#Post#: 26075--------------------------------------------------
Re: Planet Mercury
By: Zyngaru Date: December 18, 2022, 9:19 am
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Congratulations.
I wouldn't recognize them at all. I am glad you got such a
beautiful evening to see all of them.
#Post#: 26078--------------------------------------------------
Re: Planet Mercury
By: Emlyn Morgan Date: December 19, 2022, 12:19 am
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Thank you, Zyn.
I can identify the planets because I have the time and
opportunity. What better is there to do at sunset than to put my
jellaba on against the winter evening chill and wander down to
the very nearby oceanside bar terrace garden which has open
westerly views of the Atlantic and his sky, and wait and watch
for the planets and stars to appear. We often have clear skies
or little cloud.
And nowadays also we have the information technology instantly
at our fingertips to tell me in which direction to look and at
what time.
Venus is often brilliant and unmistakable, but not these nights
for she is setting near the sun and not long after sunset.
Mercury, never brilliant is setting in much the same place but
half an hour later so that the sky was dark enough by then. The
following night there was ocean fog, but I still just managed to
discern elusive Mercury.
I would not have been at all sure about distant Saturn if I had
not consulted tables on the Internet which told me he is at
present high in the southwest in the early evening. There was
only one object there that looked like a planet rather than a
star and was the right orangeish colour.
Our near neighbour Mars is unmistakable by his orange colour. I
don't see him as a red planet as he is described.
Bright Jupiter could be mistaken for Venus if I hadn't known
better with the help of the sky at night websites.
I believe there are apps whereby you can point your phone at any
star or planet for instant identification. I don't.
Today (Monday) we plan to take charcoal, pots, a grille, food to
cook, wine and glasses to a quiet beach, even a parasol, a table
and chairs, staying until sunset and after for the stargazing.
And I daresay we'll sometime spend a night in the desert as we
usually do once a year, giving a whole hemisphere of sky to
wonder at.
What more can I say? Retirement is a wonderful thing.
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