www.skyandtelescope.org copy pastes.

[jusplay4fun]

Yes, on Mercury and binoculars.

I have a telescope, too, but mostly use my binoculars.

I need to check my star charts to see if Cygnus is a good view for me, given my light pollution issues.

I should get the/an APP for finding and identifying planets and stars, but I enjoy the challenge of looking and using my brain, vs. simply point and CLICK.

Doing that, using my brain, I am 90+% sure I found Saturn last night, in the Southeast, about 9-10 pm, EDT.

back to finding Mercury:

AI Overview
The next best times to see Mercury from Virginia are in late October and from late November through December 2025. Seeing the planet requires patience and a clear horizon, as it is always low in the sky, close to the sun.

October 2025: Evening viewing
When: The last ten days of the month, from approximately October 18 to 28.
Where to look: Just after sunset, low on the southwestern horizon.

November and December 2025: Morning viewing
When: From approximately November 28 through December 25.
Where to look: Just before sunrise, low on the southeastern horizon.

and during August 17-20, it was TOO Cloudy. (again, AI Overview):

Mercury was visible in Virginia during the latter half of August 2025, particularly during the "planetary parade" that occurred from August 17 to August 20, when it appeared low on the eastern horizon before sunrise.

[jusplay4fun]

yes, it was m39 for sure. i'm really surprised i didn't see m29 tho. i studied the area for at least 10 minutes. at least now i know where to look and i'll be able to actively pursue it. it is a very rich area full of stars. when i compared lyra, i was unimpressed. i guess cygnus is like right in the middle of the milky way. it's hard to look away when you see so many stars.

show: location

show: not my picture

where i live is pretty dark skies. i mean considering. i'm about 30 miles off the mississippi coast, and right in the middle of national forest so theres no street lights or neighbors lights. it's not arizona but it's pretty good.

while i'm sure i've heard of observatories in south america, i'm not sure which ones they were. so i'll say i haven't heard of that one specifically. but i'll do a deeper dive to see the progress of that mapping project.

as far as mercury goes, i've kind of put off looking for it. it's just so elusive. i think i'll give it a real shot next time i go out west and can see a low horizon. a mercury year is like 88 days on earth, so i think that should mean every 44 days is a good window to see it. i think i should be able to get that out of the way. and i'll be so happy. i'll never have to look for it again.

I found Vega on my star chart. I may go look.

A while back, I had the privilege and opportunity to see Jupiter, its four Galilean moons, Saturn and its rings, and a distant contellation, I was excited to see Jupiter and the 4 Galilean moons see * below). Saturn was a bonus, but the contstellation was not visible to me, and that one had the "best" telescope with a feature to "follow it" and compensate for the movement of the earth.

* Please see:
https://www.conquerclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=226012&p=4998989&hilit=Galilean#p4998989

[Maxleod]

Blood Moon tonight.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/202 ... le-from-uk

A rare total lunar eclipse “blood moon” will be visible from the UK on Sunday night for the first time since 2022.

The moon is expected to turn a deep, dark red as the Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow across the lunar surface.

According to the Met Office, the moon will take on a reddish hue because it will be illuminated by light that has passed through the Earth’s atmosphere and has been bent back towards the moon by refraction, scattering blue light and allowing red wavelengths to reach the moon.

Where skies are clear, the eclipse will be visible at about 7.30pm on Sunday. The Met Office recommends people keen to see the phenomenon plan to be somewhere with as clear a view of the eastern horizon as possible, ready for the lunar eclipse to peak in the UK at 7.33pm. In built-up areas this may mean going to a hill or viewpoint.

The eclipse – sometimes referred to as a “blood moon” – will be visible to the naked eye and unlike solar eclipses is safe to view directly as the moon’s reflected light is not as bright.
Dr Ed Bloomer, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, said the moon will rise over the UK just in time for people to see the tail end of the eclipse. He said: “The moon is pretty unmistakable in the sky, so the most important thing is to face the right direction.

“It’ll be rising towards the east, and head southwards over the course of the night. As it rises, the most important thing will be whatever is low on your horizon. A flat landscape, or an elevated position makes for the best visibility – so there aren’t things like buildings, trees, or other things in the way.

“A lunar eclipse like this is a great opportunity for observing with kids too. It isn’t too late for us in the UK, the target is nice and easy, and minute by minute you will notice changes – good for short attention spans.”

People eager to see the eclipse are advised to check the forecast in their area over the weekend, but the Met Office said the clearest skies for viewing the blood moon are most likely to be across the south-west and parts of eastern England.

The Royal Observatory said the next partial lunar eclipse will be in August 2026. Other regions well positioned to view the eclipse include Australia, China, India, the Philippines and parts of Africa.

But most of North and South America will miss out entirely as they will be on the sunlit side of the planet during the event.

Throughout history, blood moons have stirred awe and superstition. Ancient cultures from Norse to South American, Native American to Chinese, interpreted the red moon as a sign of divine anger or supernatural conflict, while biblical texts warned that “the sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the day of the Lord comes, that great and terrible day”.

[jusplay4fun]

Sadly, this will NOT be visible where I am, in VA:

AI Overview:
Why the total lunar eclipse isn't visible in Virginia:
Daytime Event:
The total lunar eclipse, often called a "Blood Moon," happens when Earth passes directly between the Sun and Moon. For the September 7, 2025, eclipse, this event occurs during the day for the Americas, while it's night for parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe.

This is another event I will miss due to conditions: light "pollution" or clouds or wrong place/wrong time. I did see two eclipses (some 85+% total, for both, but NOT 100% total) and the Conjuction of Saturn and Jupiter (Dec. 2022?), but that is about ALL that is memorable. SAD. Oh, I did see that OTHER comet some 30 years ago, that was spectacular, unlike the last visit by Halley's Comet.

[2dimes]

This is another event I will miss…

You could pack up the telescope and leave town.

[jusplay4fun]

This is another event I will miss…

You could pack up the telescope and leave town.

Blood moon is not worth going that far for me to see it.

[WILLIAMS5232]

when i was researching buying telescopes so long ago, i came across an astronomy forum with advice given to others about the questions i had in my mind.

one guy said, "the best telescope is the one you use" and i kind of knew what he meant when i read it, but i didn't fully grasp the weight of it.

i settled on a 10" with out the electronics,

show: sidestory for jusplay4fun

i haven't set that telescope up since the jupiter and saturn alignment. of course, it's paritally due to my current work arrangement. if i was at home and had a normal life like most folks, i would probably have it easily accessible, but that's just not the case. about 15 years ago, when i was first into stargazing, i would have to go out of town to work, so i bought a pair of 10x50 binocs since i couldn't bring my telescope, i've used those things like 100xs more than my telescope.

on the subject of comets, there was one that came through about 2020-2021. i was working in Abilene Texas and i drove about 20 miles north to get away from the lights. that's the first comet i remember seeing in my life. i was about 6 for haleys comet, i remember my dad taking us outside to see it, but i have no recollection of actually seeing it.

anyway, that's where i stand on all that.