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7 years ago June 2012 Transit of Venus

Exactly 7 years ago today, on June 6, 2012, Venus passed in front of the Sun from Brunei Darussalam. This phenomenon knows as Venus Transit won’t occur for more than 100 years, the next one is on 2117 Dec 11.

The rare transit of Venus through a telescope from Brunei Darussalam (Photo by Hj Mahadi bin Tahir)

Photo by Hj Mahadi, President of the Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam.

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Spectacular Closest Pairings of Venus and Jupiter on June 30 – July 01, 2015

Planetary Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on June 30 and July 01 after sunset. Dont miss it!

Planetary Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on June 30 and July 01 after sunset. Dont miss it!
Planetary Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on June 30 and July 01 after sunset. Dont miss it!

UPDATE: June 30, 2015. Some photos of the event.

The two planets, the brilliant Venus and Jupiter surrounded by it's four moons, can fit in the field of view of a mini telescope.
The two planets, the brilliant Venus and Jupiter surrounded by it’s four moons, can fit in the field of view of a mini telescope.

Venus-Jupiter conjunction just now at dusk.
Venus-Jupiter conjunction just now at dusk.

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2015 Apr 10 Close Conjunction of Venus and the Seven Sisters

A very bright Venus side by side with the beautiful cluster of stars, Pleiades, in the constellation Taurus. CanonEOS 10mm f/4.0 ISO-1600 15sec
A very bright Venus side by side with the beautiful cluster of stars, Pleiades, in the constellation Taurus.
CanonEOS 10mm f/4.0 ISO-1600 15sec

Update April 12, 2015: Another change to view a celestial conjunction of Venus and Pleiades today. Clear sky!

20150410VenusPleiades2
Venus and the Pleiades on April 10, 2015, from Brunei

The brilliance of Venus and a beautiful set of “Seven Sisters” star cluster (the Pleiades) are visible very close to each other from Pantai Seri Kenangan, Tutong, at dusk today.

Continue reading “2015 Apr 10 Close Conjunction of Venus and the Seven Sisters”

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February 20-21, 2015: Triple Celestial Conjunction

Conjunction of Mars and Venus on Feb 20, 2015
Conjunction of Mars and Venus on Feb 20, 2015

Conjunction of Mars and Venus on Feb 21, 2015
Conjunction of Mars and Venus on Feb 21, 2015

Bandar Seri Begawan – Look west in twilight on February 20 and 21 as two planets, Venus and  Mars, appear close one another in the sky and will be accompanied by the thin moon crescent. The celestial phenomena  known as conjunctions occur when celestial bodies have the same right ascension or the same ecliptic longitude as seen from the Earth. While it would be very low in the twilight sky, it might be an interesting photo opportunity.  Venus will be shining bright in the west after sunset and sky gazers can locate Mars as they are separated within 1 degree apart. If the weather cooperates, it could be a spectacular image.

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Catch the close pairing of the Moon and Venus

Bandar Seri Begawan – There will be a close pairing of the moon and the planet Venus, a perfect chance to all stargazers to enjoy witnessing an astronomical event with family and friends this Hari Raya.

Close Pairing of Moon and Venus on August 09 and 10, 2013
Close Pairing of Moon and Venus on August 09 and 10, 2013

Gaze the western horizon on these days August 9 and 10, 2013, just after sunset, at around 6:35 pm and you will be greeted with a beautiful sight: the crescent moon beside a very bright star-like object, the planet Venus. The event will be visible to the naked eye and does not require any special equipment. Clear sky and Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri.