The Circumnavigation of Mercury

[Andrew Linton]

(0,136)

I'm curious that Venus has moved lower in the sky since last evening. It's moving faster in its orbit than Earth (225 days per year rather than 365), so I should expect its position to change more rapidly, but I thought it would have been going the other way i.e. rising faster than Earth did. This warrants further observation and explanation.

This image shows that both Earth and Venus first appeared on a bearing of 084 degrees. I guess this is consistent with the fact that the orbit of Venus is tilted at only 3.4 degrees to the ecliptic, which is defined by the orbit of Earth.

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,137) Venus altitude: 6.3 degrees.

Okay, Venus is dropping lower than that line of three bright stars. I need someone to astronomersplain what's happening.

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,138) Venus altitude: 7 degrees

That mining operation off to the left is the closest I've come to finding a security zone exactly where I want to stop. Mostly I try to hit each waypoint right on the equator and adjust that slightly depending on any astronomical observations I want to make. There's an eponymous Law that says it's going to happen at some point that I have to park in the centre of a security zone.

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,139) Venus altitude: 8.6 degrees

 

[Andrew Linton]

I'm wondering if I'll get to drive through that big crater; maybe only a small part of it. I'm tempted to cross it anyway to measure its diameter.

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,140) Venus altitude: 9.5 degrees

 

[Andrew Linton]

I attempted to create a NASA-style composite image to show both Earth and Venus in the same shot. This gives a better definition of the ecliptic. Sol also lies on the extrapolated line between the two planets; still some way below the horizon.

Higher resolution image here: Ecliptic composite

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,141)

The altitude of Venus was observed to be 10.8 degrees

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,142)

In this situation had 14 fathoms water - sand and shells with small stones. Sorry, wrong journal.

At this location and time, the altitude of Venus was 12.2 degrees.

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,143)

 

[Andrew Linton]

According to the sysmap on the ship, Jupiter is now visible.

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,144)

Venus altitude: 14.5 degrees. Jupiter, for the moment, has dipped below the horizon.

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,145)

11 degrees today, so far: 468km

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,146)

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,147)

12 degrees travelled today; 511km

13 more degrees to three-quarters distance, which is the last fraction I will think about, except maybe 359/360ths.

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,148) Venus altitude: 21.3 degrees; Jupiter below horizon

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,149)

Climbing out a crater that has occupied most of the degree.

 

[Andrew Linton]

08:46:45 (-0.0024,149.4304)

The angular distance between Venus and Jupiter is 10.5 degrees.

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,150) Venus altitude: 24.9, Jupiter altitude: 14.4, angular distance: 10.5

Now ten degrees from 3/4 distance.

 

[Andrew Linton]

(0,151)

This is closer even than yesterday's contact, almost like a geocache at a precise location.

I decided to engage, but had to withdraw with 25% hull when I realised I'd turned off my shields. Came back to claim the bounties and pick up the escape pod. I wonder who it is. Taking them to safety.