Planetary observations

Last updated: 21 May 2025

IF YOU WISH TO USE SOME OF THESE DRAWINGS, PLEASE ASK ME BEFORE

Planetary observations:	Mercury
	Transit/conjonction of Venus: 2004/2012/2020
	Transit of Mercury: 7 may 2003
	Transit of Mercury: 9 may 2016
	Transit of Mercury: 11 Nov. 2019
	Mars [-> May 2025]
	Jupiter [-> Mar. 2025]
	Saturn [-> May 2025]

These old webpages no longer exist:
/www.ifa.hawaii.edu/postdocs/biver/images
/solarsystem.estec.esa.nl/~nbiver/images

Nicolas BIVER

Planetary Observations

2018: update of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn drawings,...
July 2007: update of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn drawings, some Digital Images also...

28 august - 4 september 2005: Quite good seeing conditions on Mars these mornings!
30 MAY 2000: 15:00-15:25 UT: from Blowhole: Jupiter seen in conjunction with Saturn, naked eye and in the same field 71' apart in 42x256mm Telescope. [All 4 galilean satellites also seen, SEB visible but dimmer than NEB, Saturn rings and planet shadow,... (169x256mm T.) ... 17 degrees from the Sun]

20 May 2000: 08:40-09:40 HST: Venus clearly seen with naked eye, 6deg. from the Sun, from Mauna-Loa slopes, Hawaii (3000 to 3300m elevation)

18 MAY 2000: 15:40-16:00 UT: from Blowhole: Jupiter clearly seen 75' from Venus, but Saturn invisible.

17 MAY 2000: 15:40 UT: from Blowhole, Koko-Head
Nice views at the horizon (42x,84x,169x256mm Telescope) of Venus and Jupiter, both clearly seen and observed -10min to +10min after Sunrise, 3-4 degrees above the horizon. They were both visible at any magnification, only 12' apart. Jupiter two main belts were guessed but with low contrast and bad seeing (Green and red images of Venus were clearly separated)
Photo of the conjunction! 17/05/2000 at 15:41 UT: 1/30s 4223mm F/16.5 (T256x84+obj.50mm handheld) Fuji S 800. Venus: lower left, Jupiter: upper right (faint - that was only 7deg. from the Sun, 10min. before sunrise). Field of view: 15'x17', Zenith up.

16 MAY 2000: 19:25 UT:
I have observed simultaneously both Venus (easy) and Jupiter, 6.5 degrees from the Sun in the 42x256mm Telescope. Seeing was not so good but transparency fine, with some passing clouds. Jupiter was not spotted first, but after a cloud went off, I thought I was seeing Venus out of focus or through thin cloud as it was actually Jupiter (42x 1.2 degree Field of View): barely brighter than the sky, 40' East of Venus.
The Sun was hidden by a building - don't attempt it otherwise - they were so close to it [I had never seen Jupiter that close to the Sun, but Venus 4 degrees from Sun is feasible even in inferior conjunction -- we are looking at the same field of view as SOHO!]

MERCURY

[84 K] Mercury, 04.73 jan. 1998 507x256 L

[50 K] Mercury, 19.7 dec. 1998 507x256 L

Transit of Mercury in front of the Sun (15 nov. 1999)

Transit of Mercury in front of the Sun (07 may 2003)

Conjunctions!

29 April 2002, 20:27.4 UT (Longuesse...):
10s 50mm f/2.0, Sensia 400 (4 planets + faint Utsunomiya) 29 April 2002, 20:29.0 UT (longuesse...):
15s 28mm f/2.8, Sensia 400 (5 planets + very faint Utsunomiya)

11 May 2002, 20:22 UT (Pico Veleta/IRAM):
20 s. 135mm f/2.5, Sensia 400 (Venus/Mars/Saturn/Mercury) 11 May 2002, 20:39 UT (Pico Veleta/IRAM):
30 s. 50mm f/2.0, Sensia 400 (Venus->Mercury, Granada lights)

[183 K] Moon and Mercury 2s 135mm F/D 2.5 Fuji 400, Dillingham airfield [154 K] Zoom on the central 5x7.6 degrees 04 June 2000, 6:00 UT

[130 K] Venus and Jupiter in the 84x256mm telescope,
7d. from the Sun 17 may 2000, 15:41 UT, 1/30s 4223mm F/16.5, Fuji S 800
From Blowhole, Oahu. Venus: lower left, Jupiter: upper right.
Field of view: 15'x17', Zenith up.
[100 K] Mercury (in the palm trees), Venus and Jupiter
24.2 Feb. 1999, 125mm F/3.9 From Kapiolani Park, Honolulu

[100 K] Venus and Jupiter (and satellites) 24.2 Feb. 1999,
T256x42 (Fres=2112mm F/8.2) in the same field of view! [131 K] Mars, Jupiter and Saturn 31.2 Mar. 2000,
28mm F/4.0, 6min. From JCMT - Mauna-Kea, Hawaii

VENUS

VENUS page

Transit of Venus 8 June 2004
Transit of Venus 5 June 2012
Conjunction of Venus 3 June 2020

MARS

JUPITER

SATURN

Back to N. Biver's Home Page -> Nicolas.Biver_(at)_obspm.fr--for Comments?--
observations always in progress... Nicolas Biver


29 April 2002, 20:27.4 UT (Longuesse...): 10s 50mm f/2.0, Sensia 400 (4 planets + faint Utsunomiya)	29 April 2002, 20:29.0 UT (longuesse...): 15s 28mm f/2.8, Sensia 400 (5 planets + very faint Utsunomiya)

11 May 2002, 20:22 UT (Pico Veleta/IRAM): 20 s. 135mm f/2.5, Sensia 400 (Venus/Mars/Saturn/Mercury)	11 May 2002, 20:39 UT (Pico Veleta/IRAM): 30 s. 50mm f/2.0, Sensia 400 (Venus->Mercury, Granada lights)

[183 K] Moon and Mercury 2s 135mm F/D 2.5 Fuji 400, Dillingham airfield	[154 K] Zoom on the central 5x7.6 degrees 04 June 2000, 6:00 UT

[130 K] Venus and Jupiter in the 84x256mm telescope, 7d. from the Sun 17 may 2000, 15:41 UT, 1/30s 4223mm F/16.5, Fuji S 800 From Blowhole, Oahu. Venus: lower left, Jupiter: upper right. Field of view: 15'x17', Zenith up.	[100 K] Mercury (in the palm trees), Venus and Jupiter 24.2 Feb. 1999, 125mm F/3.9 From Kapiolani Park, Honolulu

[100 K] Venus and Jupiter (and satellites) 24.2 Feb. 1999, T256x42 (Fres=2112mm F/8.2) in the same field of view!	[131 K] Mars, Jupiter and Saturn 31.2 Mar. 2000, 28mm F/4.0, 6min. From JCMT - Mauna-Kea, Hawaii

Back to N. Biver's Home Page	-> Nicolas.Biver_(at)_obspm.fr--for Comments?--
observations always in progress...	Nicolas Biver