George's Photography Blog

The Splender of Venus

Posted by George Warren Ziegler (Northern California, United States) on 10 May 2012 in Landscape & Rural and Portfolio.

It is amazing how much light a camera can capture in the night sky when not influenced by light pollution. This month (May 2012) Venus is approaching Earth in its orbit which, makes it appear larger and brighter than usual. Venus was so bright last night that it produced a reflection in the water. The image was taken from a location near the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. In the upper left of the image you will see a small grouping of stars - the Beehive Cluster - in the constellation of Cancer. Visible with the naked eye, it has been known from ancient times and was one the first objects studied by Galileo using his newly invented telescope. It is one of the nearest open star clusters to our solar system, a mere 520 to 610 light years away.

Thank you for visiting my photography blog. Your comments, suggestions, and critiques are always welcome. I usually post a new photograph once a week. You can view more of my images at gwzphotography.com, facebook, and flickr®.

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