Moon & Venus (Etobicoke)

I caught the very thin Moon just above the horizon. And above it, Venus, glowing brightly! They were lovely. I didn't think I was going to see them.

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My day started out... not badly. Just late. I was very tired in the morning. I kept hitting the snooze button. By the time I got up, the morning was shot. My plans to unload the car of telescope gear and repack with tools and computers for the CAO work party would be delayed. With an east-end client meeting scheduled to finish at 4:00 PM, I resigned myself to leaving later. I would pack up after the meeting. Take my time. Wait for the rush hour traffic insanity to thin. I also needed to pick up a UPS for the new CAO server computer. And as the day played out, it was obvious that I'd have to do that on the way north. And that's how everything gelled.

I was very near the Lakeshore and Gardiner when I suddenly remembered I still had to buy the UPS. Geez! What is it? This was not the first time that when I get in the car and start driving that I totally forget things I need to do! I made a snap decision to travel west along the Queensway and hit the computer shops out near The West Mall. I recalled the Best Buy big box store.

What a pleasant surprise to spot the Moon during the drive! It was very thin. Three days old, it turns out. Close to the horizon, perhaps 7 or 8 degrees up, in a dark orange sky.

(With the mobile phone/iPod ban coming down the pipe, I wondered what may come of astronomers who stare at the sky while driving their vehicles...)

I had completely forgotten about this conjunction. Early in the week, I had documented the event on the November astronomical calendar I made up for the NOVA class participants. At the time, I had wondered if I would be at the CAO. Ironically, given my late departure tonight, I would not have seen it there. So it was a real treat to witness this in the city. I remembered that Venus should be near by. There she was! Up (about 6 or 7 degrees) and to the left (at about a 30 degree angle).