Venus-Moon Morning

The planet Venus (just above the trees at left center) and a waning crescent moon glow amid gathering light in the eastern sky around 5:40 AM, April 29, 2011. Venus had plenty of planetary help--Jupiter, Mars and Mercury were all in the same vicinity--but their positions below Venus got themselves caught in the glare of the rising sun. This image was shot at 1/6 second at f/14, 250 ISO, 45mm focal length on manual focus. Conditions for this time of year were chilly--clear and 33 degrees F. Some ground fog and the gobble of wild turkeys occured outside of this viewed position--just south of Boyson Road and west of Alburnett Road in Marion, Iowa-- toward the right.