An unexpected thunderstorm with strong winds helped clear the sky of the haze that has deadened the city sky for many days now. Scattered clouds remained, so not much was rendered visible even so. The waxing gibbous moon was clear, with the terminator running through the huge crater Corpernicus at its center. Nearby Spica, aboujt 2 degs up and to its right, sparkled brightly too. Jupiter shone dimly through a thin cloud, and with binoculars nearby reddish Antares and blue/white Sigma and Tau Scorpii flanking it were visible. Omega 1 and 2 Scorpii, not a true binary but a close pair visually (through binos anyway), could also be seen. The forecast is for clear skies tomorrow. We've had many such forecasts in recent weeks, only to find the sky obscured by haze. But the wind and rain today makes this forecast a bit more credible. Lets hope.
By chance I came across a description of noctilucent cloud, which reminded me of a sighting in early August 2006 of something matching that description. It was a bright, bluish cloud formation in very deep twilight at a latitude of about 55 degs north -- so unusual looking that it caused me stop my car and get out to look. I wondered whether it might have been an aurora, but later found that descriptions of that phenomenon didn't quite match. But Googling images of noctilucent cloud suggests that this must have been it. What a curious thing I discover it is -- only recorded since the late 19th century and its increasing occurrence at northerly latitudes below the poles suspected to be a sign of climate change.
A last chance to see the shuttle and ISS together before Atlantis deorbits later tonight was frustrated by, guess what, thin cloud and haze. Jupiter, the crescent moon, Venus and Arcturus shone dimly through, but no sign of the space ships at the Heavens Above designated time.
Venus and the young crescent moon less than three degrees apart was a brilliant sight at dusk in a partly cloudy sky (mercifully not in that part). Unfortunately I only saw them in a rush between meetings. But a colleague, to whom I pointed them out, was suitably impressed and said it was the first time she had knowingly seen Venus.
A smoky odour permeates the air this evening, and a thin haze covers the sky. After sunset, I searched in vain for the young waxing moon. Venus could be seen with binoculars, a sickly looking orange, and barely visible at all to the naked eye. At 8:56 pm, an Iridium 4 flare, billed as a bright mag -3, shone weakly and v briefly at 51 degs alt, also looking a pale orange. Unusually, the city's Met Office -- often at pains to play down pollution -- admits the likelihood of haze during the night, which must mean that the air is very foul indeed. The surface of Venus itself is probably not dissimilar: like here, not very appropriate for human habitation.
