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StarDate Susitna 4-30-20, by Kathleen Fleming

This StarDate Susitna was recorded live during “Let’s Hear from Our DJs” aired Thursday April 30th. The topic is Venus, now offering an extra-special display for observers n the far

By KTNA Staff 3 min read
StarDate Susitna 4-30-20, by Kathleen Fleming

This StarDate Susitna was recorded live during “Let’s Hear from Our DJs” aired Thursday April 30th. The topic is Venus, now offering an extra-special display for observers n the far north latitudes.

Photo series by Brian Okonek from home near Talkeetna, AK.
Early morning Tuesday April 28, 2020.

Venus, Mt Hunter, Denali and Aurora at 2:09 am ADT. Local/true/solar midnight is at 1:57 am ADT for Talkeetna, so this photo was taken just 12 minutes after solar midnight. Clearly the “common wisdom” that Venus can never be seen at midnight is not accurate at the extreme latitudes. Photo credit: Brian Okonek, Talkeetna, Alaska. 62°20’N 150°01’W Camera: Sony ILCE-6000 Lens: Sony E 55-210 mm, f 4.5-6.3 OSS Exposure: f 5, ISO 1600, 55mm, 20 seconds
Venus directly over the peak of North America’s tallest mountain, Denali (elevation 20,310 feet), and Aurora. 2:24 AM Venus declination +27°40’, altitude 4°, azimuth 330°. Max declination in this 8-year cycle will be on Monday May 4th: + 27° 48’ 57.31”
3:16 Venus above Mt Silverthrone (elevation 13,220), Crescent moon a bit overexposed, but the dark portion illuminated by EarthShine is made obvious.
3:31:03 The tip of the waxing crescent moon cradled in the saddle of Mt Hunter (14,573’) while the Goddess of Love stands atop Peakbagger Peak (10,206’), 36 years after a couple local guys made the first ascent: Dave Johnston and Jim Bouchard
3:34 Venus sliding into the eastern slope of Mt Deception (11,826’).
3:38, Reappearances: the moon comes out from behind Hunter, and Venus from Mt Deception. Peak-a-boo, again!
3:40 am Just the upper limb of the moon remains to set along the South Buttress of Denali. At this moment Venus was less than 1° above the presumed flat horizon, and the azimuth of that spot is 347° (just 13° left of due north!). A slight change in declination can have a dramatic change in set location when Venus is moving nearly parallel to the horizon. Indeed, if the Alaska Range were not to our north, Venus WOULD be circumpolar (it would not set) at the latitude of Talkeetna and Trapper Creek, even though we are more than 4 degree south of the Arctic Circle (where the Sun is circumpolar on the Summer Solstice).
Photo credit: Diane Okonek. Solstice sunset: June 20, 2014 at 11:26 pm. The set location of the waxing crescent moon on 4/28/20 (azimuth 324.5) was nearly identical to this because they had very similar declinations. Keep in mind that for Talkeetna, solar midnight is about 2 am ADT, so the solstice sun sets behind this dramatic terrain 2 ½ hours before true midnight.

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