Mars Near-Grazes the Moon

July 5, 2014

This event happened just before I was to meet Karl at his place for a 4th of July get together, so I arrived a little early to set up the scope and binoculars, so everyone to get a look at this closest conjunction of 2014, albeit in broad daylight. Actually, I drove up in the earlier afternoon so I could do a run in Nicene Marks on the north side

Karl had a hard time seeing Mars in the 10x80 binos, but eventually the image of it clicked in

Focusing, even with the vernier on the scope, was difficult. The contrast between the moon and sky was just too subtle

Weather was clean and clear, and the moon was 35 degrees up in the south; perfect from Karl's front garden area.

A turkey vulture joins the conjunction. Mars is just off the upper left cusp of the moon. Click on the thumbnail to see it.

Mars is level with the terminator here. The graze path for this event was just a hundred miles off shore and paralleled the California coast