APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

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APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by APOD Robot » Wed Feb 02, 2011 5:06 am

Image Moon and Venus over Switzerland

Explanation: Sometimes a morning sky can be a combination of serene and surreal. Such a sky perhaps existed before sunrise this past Sunday as viewed from a snowy slope in eastern Switzerland. Quiet clouds blanket the above scene, lit from beneath by lights from the village of Trübbach. A snow covered mountain, Mittlerspitz, poses dramatically on the upper left, hovering over the small town of Balzers, Liechtenstein far below. Peaks from the Alps can be seen across the far right, just below the freshly rising Sun. Visible on the upper right are the crescent Moon and the bright planet Venus. Venus will remain in the morning sky all month, although it will likely not be found in such a photogenic setting.

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dmkdmkdmk
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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by dmkdmkdmk » Wed Feb 02, 2011 9:54 am

Yeeehaw, I finally made it to APOD. Thanks @all for making this possible :).

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Ann
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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by Ann » Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:09 am

It's a delightful image, almost magical.

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by owlice » Wed Feb 02, 2011 11:01 am

Congratulations, David!!
A closed mouth gathers no foot.

Bob M

Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by Bob M » Wed Feb 02, 2011 11:50 am

So are the clouds behaving like a reflection nebula?

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by biddie67 » Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:24 pm

Wow - this IS a beautiful photo!!! What a magnificent view - no matter what time of day .

wuf810

Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by wuf810 » Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:28 pm

Very beautiful. Congratulations

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by Indigo_Sunrise » Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:30 pm

Ethereal.


Excellent image, mate!

8-)
Forget the box, just get outside.

LGM1963

Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by LGM1963 » Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:55 pm

Is everyone sure that the bright object in the picture is Venus?

According to Heavens-Above.com's star chart for this morning, Venus would have been below the horizon but Jupiter would have been visible.

lnwolf

Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by lnwolf » Wed Feb 02, 2011 1:01 pm

Great image! But what are the two red lights in the mountains just below and left of the moon? Seems out of place, and zooming in doesn't seem to shed any light (pardon the pun).

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by dmkdmkdmk » Wed Feb 02, 2011 1:23 pm

LGM1963 wrote:Is everyone sure that the bright object in the picture is Venus?

According to Heavens-Above.com's star chart for this morning, Venus would have been below the horizon but Jupiter would have been visible.
Actually: no. I have no knowledge of these things. I'm just a photographer that likes images with stars. I was up there with a friend who studies astrophysics. He said it is Venus. Maybe I should have verified that before chosing the title.

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by neufer » Wed Feb 02, 2011 1:28 pm

LGM1963 wrote:
Is everyone sure that the bright object in the picture is Venus?

According to Heavens-Above.com's star chart for this morning, Venus would have been below the horizon but Jupiter would have been visible.
If by this morning you mean ground hogs day; this picture was taken before sunrise on Jan. 30, 2011 (and it is Venus).
Last edited by neufer on Wed Feb 02, 2011 1:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Art Neuendorffer

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by dmkdmkdmk » Wed Feb 02, 2011 1:29 pm

lnwolf wrote:Great image! But what are the two red lights in the mountains just below and left of the moon? Seems out of place, and zooming in doesn't seem to shed any light (pardon the pun).
Those two lights are some kind of signal lights. I don't know what they are for. But they were there :).

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by Beyond » Wed Feb 02, 2011 1:34 pm

Those two red lights appear to be warning lights on a tower on top of a mountain peak.
To find the Truth, you must go Beyond.

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by Indigo_Sunrise » Wed Feb 02, 2011 1:36 pm

LGM1963 wrote:Is everyone sure that the bright object in the picture is Venus?

According to Heavens-Above.com's star chart for this morning, Venus would have been below the horizon but Jupiter would have been visible.


Did you use "2011"?
Jupiter is visible in the evening sky right now, and Venus in the morning......
Forget the box, just get outside.

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by boczko@astro.iag.usp.br » Wed Feb 02, 2011 1:36 pm

Are you sure that the Moon is crescent? I am almost right that it is almost New.

Boczko.

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by dmkdmkdmk » Wed Feb 02, 2011 1:37 pm

LGM1963 wrote:Is everyone sure that the bright object in the picture is Venus?

According to Heavens-Above.com's star chart for this morning, Venus would have been below the horizon but Jupiter would have been visible.
I checked this out with Stellarium. It was definitely Venus. No doubt!

LGM1963

Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by LGM1963 » Wed Feb 02, 2011 2:04 pm

Thanks for the answers

Yes, I used 2011.....

Perhaps the photo was taken some time ago.

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neufer
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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by neufer » Wed Feb 02, 2011 2:24 pm

boczko@astro.iag.usp.br wrote:
Are you sure that the Moon is crescent? I am almost right that it is almost New.
Now it is but not last Sunday: http://asterisk.apod.com/vie ... 07#p142294
Art Neuendorffer

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by thugnificent » Wed Feb 02, 2011 2:50 pm

Any chance you can link us to a higher resolution version of this photo?

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by orin stepanek » Wed Feb 02, 2011 3:05 pm

biddie67 wrote:Wow - this IS a beautiful photo!!! What a magnificent view - no matter what time of day .
I'll second that! It's really art! 8-) Great picture David. Be neat wallpaper
Orin

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by moonstruck » Wed Feb 02, 2011 3:18 pm

Great job David....Did you plan all that or just wake up one morning and there it was :|

Natrium

Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by Natrium » Wed Feb 02, 2011 3:43 pm

Nice one... and I second the request for a higher resoltuojn version if available... :P

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by owlice » Wed Feb 02, 2011 4:14 pm

lnwolf wrote:But what are the two red lights in the mountains just below and left of the moon?
Eyes! :shock:
A closed mouth gathers no foot.

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Re: APOD: Moon and Venus over Switzerland (2011 Feb 02)

Post by neufer » Wed Feb 02, 2011 5:03 pm

owlice wrote:
lnwolf wrote:
But what are the two red lights in the mountains just below and left of the moon?
Eyes! :shock:
They tend to put red lights on TV/radio/communication towers for some reason or other.
Art Neuendorffer

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