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David Mingay | all galleries >> Mynd Dagsins '15 >> Photo of the Day 2008 > Dec 1: Occult
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01-DEC-2008 David Mingay

Dec 1: Occult

Venus shortly after being occulted by the moon. Unaware this was happening, I just looked out the window to see clear skies, and, wait a minute, there's a planet missing! Grabbed the binoculars just in time to see Venus re appear like a little 'bling' on the bright edge of the moon. I watched through the telescope for a while before grabbing this photograph, a little too late. The half second exposure has blown out the highlights but was long enough to show the 'dark side' of the moon illuminated by earthshine, as well as Jupiter (on the right) and two of Jupiter's moons, Io and Ganymede in near conjunction.

Canon EOS 20D
1/2s f/5.6 at 400.0mm iso400 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time01-Dec-2008 18:38:42
MakeCanon
ModelCanon EOS 20D
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length400 mm
Exposure Time0.50 sec
Aperturef/5.6
ISO Equivalent400
Exposure Bias
White Balance
Metering Modeaverage (1)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Programprogram (1)
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Michael Todd Thorpe19-Dec-2008 05:52
Very cool, too... I love the exposure being long enough to draw out the 'dark side'...
Robin Reid03-Dec-2008 05:08
Best shot I've seen of yesterday's event.
Richard Chapman02-Dec-2008 22:51
I am very jealous, as I spotted the same thing while out on an errand - I drove as fast as I dared back home (it was icy) to grab my camera, only for the moon to move behind a cloud as I stepped outside.

Nice shot
Nicki Thurgar02-Dec-2008 20:50
Wow... well noticed!
Keith O'Brien02-Dec-2008 19:37
Excellent capture! Interesting to note about Io and Ganymede. V
Mary Bowles02-Dec-2008 19:33
What a brilliant capture.