Venus, along with three other planets (Mars, Saturn and Jupiter) are now increasingly well positioned, rising in the Eastern sky, for observing and astroimaging. The totally new powerful Celestron Nexstar 6 SE telescope is being prepped and pruned for planetary visual observing and electronic digital photographic astroimaging. The 6-inch catadioptric has ultimate superb optics and calibration and is being run through the paces as an indoor telescope viewing through a single pane of high quality white window optic for observatory convenience.
On the morning of Wednesday, April 6, 2022, the telescope was positioned by the window but initially not close enough. Once it was moved very close to the window, the sky field of view was increasingly wide enough to take in the planets. Jupiter had not yet risen from behind a tall skyscraper to the left, but extremely bright Venus was an easy centered target. Dimmer Mars and Saturn to the upper right were more difficult to locate given all the extreme light pollution, air pollution, and upper atmospheric haze.
This marks the beginning of a spectacular lunar and planetary observing and astroimaging season with a new telescope that's very easy to align, fast & efficient to use, and a breeze to transport.
Mini Solar System Ephemeris
Sun: 31.9 arcmin, mag. -27.7
Moon: 30.1 arcmin, 23.2% illuminated, mag. -7.8
Jupiter: 33.6 arcsec, mag. -2.0
Venus: 20.6 arcsec, 57.7% illuminated, mag. -4.3
Saturn: 15.9 arcsec, mag. +0.9
Mars: 5.3 arcsec, 91.3% illuminated, mag +1.0
