[HPforGrownups] Astronomy OWL's Can you see Venus?

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 68324

On 8 Jul 2003 at 8:53, Mark D. wrote:

> After all the arguments about Thestrals, I have a possible mistake 
> from OOP. In Ch. 31, pg. 718-19, Harry takes his Astromy final at 11 
> pm and studies Venus. 
> 
> Now it's been a few years since I took Astronomy, but is there 
> anywhere on Earth that Venus is visivble at 11 pm? as I remember, 
> Venus, being closer to the sun than Earth, is only visible near 
> sunrise and sunset, never in the middle of the night.
> 
> I'm assuming that the obvious excuse, that wizard telescopes defy 
> physics and can view whatever heavenly body they wish doesn't come 
> into play.
> 
> Any past astronomy students out there?

Yes, and I made a detailed post on the astronomical issues of Order of the 
Phoenix a couple of days ago (66936 in the archives).

To answer your question, yes, there are places on Earth where Venus can 
be visible at 11pm. While it's true that Venus is only seen fairly near 
sunrise and sunset, there are places on earth - very far north or very far 
south - where sunset can be late enough that Venus is still up at 11pm.

Example - central Scotland, northern hemisphere summer solstice, the sun 
sets at around 9.50pm. Venus can easily be up two hours after sunset (it's 
fairly rare for it to be up longer than that).

For 1996, over Central Scotland, Venus was visible at 11pm between 14th 
March and 2nd June - it's latest setting time was 1:42 am, around 25th to 
29th April.










Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately |webpage: http://www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       |email: drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in 
common. They
don't alter their views to fit the facts. They alter the facts to fit
the views. Which can be uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the
facts that need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia