Otherworldly Shadows

The next few days will be good ones for astronomy geeks: Venus will be so bright you might actually be able to see it cast shadows:

If you'd like to try, this is the week. Your attempt must come before Dec. 3. After that, the crescent moon will join Venus in the evening sky, and any shadows you see then will be moon shadows.

Instructions: Find a dark site (very dark) with clear skies and no manmade lights. Be there at sunset. You'll see Venus glaring in the southern sky. When the sky fades to black, turn your back on Venus (otherwise it will spoil your night vision). Hold your hand in front of a white screen--e.g., a piece of paper, a portable white board, a white T-shirt stretched over a rock--and let the shadow materialize.

Venus is the only planet bright enough to cast shadows, but even then it's a very faint thing, so you have to have both sharp eyes and patience. But if you can manage it, you'll have seen something that very few other people have ever seen: Shadows cast by another world.

Sadly for me the forecast around here calls for clouds, apparently through February. So I probably won't be able to see it, this time. But I hope you do. And if any of you do, please let me know.

Written by johnmscalzi Blog about this entry

This entry has 7 comments: (Add your own)

#7 Comment from ii1337il
12/2/06 3:57 PM | Permalink

Make a Statement - Cover AOL Ads on Journals!

http://journals.aol.com/ii1337il/1337-blog/entries/2006/12/01/cover-your-aol-ads-in-journals-with-this-nifty-code/622
#6 Comment from lurkynat
11/30/05 8:46 PM | Permalink

Venus Woo hoo!
natalie
#5 Comment from chasferris
11/30/05 12:45 PM | Permalink

What a wonderful, novel experiment. Wish I had heard of it years ago when I was known to drive miles to get a nice dark sky. I would have loved to say I had seen a shadow cast by Venus. I have never even noticed a moon shadow that I can recall. Hmmm. What about casting an image of a full moon on a piece of paper, using a telescope with a right angle eyepiece? I used to study sun-spots this way. Maybe a bright moon would cast an image too.
#4 Comment from plittle
11/30/05 10:13 AM | Permalink

Dear John,
Although I dislike the journal ads as much as anyone else, I would not be in any way upset if you took a harder line on comments in your journal. As in making sure they remain on topic to the post they are attached to. It would not upset me in the least if you simply deleted comments critical of the journal ads that are made to entries that have nothing to do with said ads. Like this one.
-Paul
#3 Comment from thelovetrain
11/30/05 9:40 AM | Permalink

***** Part 1 *****

Dear John,

I 'so' wish that I had a high-powered telescope to capture some astronomy photography. Thing is, I enjoy being retired and free, even more, and such a purchase won't currently fit into my pension income budget.

I had to do your South Park thing, too. Thanks, I enjoyed it.

... That reminds me; quit cleverly distracting the artist in me, from my anti-ad campaign, will you, please? [:P]

The Love Train to South Park:
http://groups.aol.com/stopjournalads?mmch_=0&__Action=V7/V7PhotosViewCollection&__Compset=GM&enc=AhiyuiSjI77M5a802fgMQibx%2Bfl6L5W%2BaJcWHVXILRmAAShpHO5oWKrLx3e%2BuHmht8pTbqYt%2BdIv%0AkzB66Rx2mvUUYZUHg7VYLfzO9rCdI3xTSJOvbjThNnjIyqe8hFvjF1wp6iXLNvc%3D

__________________________________________

Anti-Advertising News: Media Sources and Report Links...

* There are new additions in our list of media coverage.

The Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/22/AR2005112201648.html

The Inquirer
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=27966

Jason Calacanis (CEO - Weblogs, Inc.):
http://www.calacanis.com/2005/11/26/on-the-aol-journals-advertising-mini-brouhaha#c116258

The News Tribune:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/5353565p-4845742c.html

BizReport:
http://www.bizreport.com/news/9522/

The Journal News:
http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051124/BUSINESS01/511240302/1066/BUSINESS01

The Blog Herald:
http://www.blogherald.com/2005/11/24/aol-users-criticize-blog-ads/

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Otherworldly Shadows