Fabulous night

Tonight, at the end of an exhausting day, I have few words, but it was beautifully clear so I have taken some pictures of the night sky. And made a short film.

The photographs are by no means exemplary. The shots of Orion are not pin sharp. The Moon and Venus are both over-exposed so you cannot see their phases. To the naked eye the moon was only a quarter full – as is apparent in the video below; in the eyepiece of the telescope Venus seemed to me to be about half-full.

This is the first time I have seen a phase of Venus. And, though I could not take a picture, even amid London’s city-glow I could also make out the luminous clouds of the Orion Nebula. I am still very much an astronomical amateur so, modest though they are, these findings pleased me.

It was a fabulous night for star gazing — after a frenetic day, a good chance to recover a sense of perspective.

The Moon, Venus and, right at the bottom, Jupiter.

Orion, in all his glory.

Orion – a closer look

Finally, the moon drifting across the sky. For best results, watch in full screen.