I had an opportunity to observe Venus this evening around 8:00 CDT. I doubt I would have been able to find it if I had not scanned the area with my 7X42 binoculars. Although once I found it, it could be seen with the unaided eye. The 2% illuminated/56" crescent was easy to see with 7X, however it's size and thinness makes me very skeptical about people being able to see the crescent with the unaided eye. A 7X image has 49X the area of a 1X image. It's not so much the 56" that I question being discernable, it's that 2% illuminated part that is just a few seconds in width that I know can not be discerned.
Anyway, it was nice on about 38X & 100X through my Ranger.
Anyway, it was nice on about 38X & 100X through my Ranger.
Darian R.
