Jupiter, May 2018

Jupiter has been really bright the last few nights.In May 2018, Jupiter is the second brightest planet, after Venus. Jupiter ascends in the east after sunset, and I have been getting a clear view of it in the south sky as it is dark, from around 9.30 pm.

According to earthsky.org, Jupiter is at its best this month in all of 2018. It is brighter than any star.
However Venus, which is in the western sky, is brighter, so I need to look out for that.

I only have a digital camera and no tripod, so can't get any good photos. These are the best I could do!

10.30 pm on 19th May

9.38 pm on 20th May

camera shake, not Jupiter on the move!!!

9.44 pm on 22nd May

On May 27th, the almost full moon rose in the sky and situated well to its right was Jupiter -

The full moon was on 29th but it was too cloudy in London to see it. This is the 30th view -

I did see Venus in Jan 2017.

Millers Pond, Shirley

Millers Pond is a very small park in Shirley, and comes under Croydon Council. There is a pond, which was originally one of three in the grounds of Spring Park House and farm estate.

The pond was used for watering the animals and soaking cartwheels to prevent them from shrinking. The original farm buildings no longer exist, but were situated north of the pond. You can see the second pond to the north, and the farm was west of this -

The house was demolished in the 1960s. However Croydon Council acquired the pond and surroundings in 1934 and it was named after the last farm tenants.

Today there is a small area of green as well as the pond. 

The pond is home to many waterfowl. There are Canada geese, mallards and coots, which I saw, as well as tufted ducks, grey herons and moorhens. Birds among the daisies -

 Different markings around the eyes on the above and below goose

 A coot -

Many people go to the pond to feed the birds. But as with most other public parks now, there are many notices asking people not to feed white bread to the birds -

A coot -

Mother coot and fluff balls -

There are two islands on the pond, on which the birds live and breed.

The park is now looked after by Friends of Millers Pond.

Coombe Wood, Croydon

Coombe Wood near Croydon is an ornamental garden and woodland. I went in early May primarily to see the rhododendrons and azaleas but they were already past their best. However the gardens and woods were still really pretty and well worth a visit.

Coombe Wood was first opened to the public in 1948. It was the former garden of Coombe Wood House. Coombe Wood supplied water to the estate through three conduits, hence the name of the adjoining road, Conduit Lane.

You enter the gardens and are met by colourful flower beds and a small pond on the left.

A little path winds through a rock garden. Surprisingly the rockery is made from artificial rock, named Pulhamite after the landscape garden who created it in the late 19th century, James Pulham.

Heading towards the woods -

Rhodondrodons -