Astronomy Team Live Stream: Lunar Occultation of Venus

On 24 March 2023, a rare and magnificent celestial event occurred. As the moon silently moved along its orbit around the earth, it aligned with the planet Venus, creating a stunning spectacle that was visible from various parts of the world, including parts of Africa, India, Southwestern China, and Thailand. The Astronomy Team at BCIS was ready to capture this event and organized a livestream on BCIS’s media channel, in partnership with our weekly Astronomy Club ECA.

On the day of the event, our Astronomer was able to spot Venus and the moon twice during broad daylight, using binoculars. Stargazing apps are helpful in locating celestial bodies during the day, but we must exercise caution to avoid the sun coming into view through our equipment. As the evening approached, we watched in awe as the moon gradually moved closer to Venus, until Venus disappeared behind the dark limb of the waxing crescent moon, creating a Venus set on the moon. We had to wait for over half an hour for Venus to reappear, but the wait was worth it. Venus emerged like a diamond rising in the lunar sky, an awe-inspiring moment that we captured with our 8″ RC8 telescope.

For us, the moon and Venus looked like a diamond ring in the sky, a beautiful sight that was witnessed by the BCIS community. The event was an inspiration for young minds, who might one day step on the moon to witness a real Venus rise. But the show didn’t end there. Our astronomer rushed to a location south of the school, where the Moon-Venus pair created a beautiful juxtaposition with the giant Buddha statue, a major landmark located at the south of Phuket island. His photo of the event was even featured as Astronomy Picture of the Day at astronomia.com.

We hope that this event will inspire everyone to look up at the night sky more often and appreciate its beauty, ponder our place in the universe, and consider our role as stewards and protectors of our planet.