This time I am not particularly looking for the stars.
I have invested a couple of hours already figuring out, how to determine the exact position and state of the moon at any time. It is great that at we have this information so easily available, and without having to spend years studding the moon and the planets.[I am using a freeware software named Cartes du Ciel]
After reading a couple of tables (planets calendar), and learning about the moon culmination times (the moon comes out 50 minutes later every day ), I thought, mmmm, this means that the sun should catch the moon every month or so. That means twelve eclipses a year.
All right, this is not right, I guess it is not that simple. So I start a sky simulation, near the time where I have calculated the sun will catch the moon, and this is when I realize that the orbits are not aligned. The sun passes by the moon side, not behind it.
What a fun way to learn about the planets.
Anyways, now I have a forecast of the sky six days from now, with the sunset next to the moon.
Maye that would do a nice picture. Or maybe the sun will be so bright, that I won't be able to see the moon. Whatever happens, I want to check it out, this feels fun.
I kept thinking after I posted.
If the moon is next the sun, it actually means that is receiving light from behind (what is called the dark side of the moon). Meaning, it should be black when seeing it from earth. Mmmm, so I check back on the objects calendar, and it confirms it, it is new moon day.
So I guess I will not see anything.
Maybe I will be able to see Mercury, Venus and Saturn? [the aligned planets on top of the sun]
They are probably to distant (dim) to be seeing during a sunset.
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