Georges Méliès and the Dawn of Cinema

Before we subscribed to Netflix a couple of years ago, it had been decades since I had seen a complete version of Georges Méliès’ influential La Voyage dans la lune, also known as A Trip to the Moon (1902).

The short was originally shot in black and white, of course, while a hand colored version was also produced, but was eventually lost for decades. A print finally surfaced at the Filmoteca de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain in 1993. By 1999 the compilation and digitization of the known parts began, with complete restoration beginning in 2010.

This hand colored version is the one featured on Netflix, and was an official selection at Cannes in 2011, having been screened at the Debussy Theatre at 7:45 pm on May 20th. 

The story is about an Astronomer’s Club that conceives and executes a lunar expedition, combining elements and devices from both Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, such as a bullet-shaped projectile/capsule-firing space gun and Selenites.

Six umbrella-waving astronomer travelers descend beneath the lunar surface where they are captured by Selenites and paraded before the Grand Lunar.There they revolt and fight their way back by madcap umbrella bludgeon warfare to the projectile, where one traveler remains outside to dangle from a rope and pull the capsule off a cliff - the edge of the moon, as it were - along with a Selenite stow-away hugging the back of the projectile. They return to earth, splashing into the depths of the ocean - with the astronomer and Selenite still miraculously clinging on! There is a rapturous reception, giant medals for the explorers, and an introduction of their Selenite visitor, who ends up dancing with his handler.

Méliès was a stage magician, known for props and tricks. He produced over 500 films throughout his career which spanned the period 1896 to 1913. His films ranged between one and 40 minutes, and covered genres like advertising, documentary – A Hypnotist at Work, historical reenactments - Divers at Work on the Wreck of the ‘Maine,’magic and illusion – The Vanishing Lady, drama – L’affaire Dreyfus, and of course fantasy, like our current subject, La Voyage dans la lune. 

Méliès interest in filmmaking began when he attended a cinematograph demonstration by the Lumière brothers, August and Louis in late 1895. At the time, the cinematograph was in direct competition with Thomas Edison’s Kinetoscope, but as the Lumière brothers mysteriously believed cinema had no useful future beyond science, they never sold their invention, even to the interested Méliès, and continued their work on color photography.

Yet, as is often the case with new technologies, other inventors were working on similar machines, including Robert W. Paul with his Animatograph in London, from whom Méliès finally secured a machine along with several films to play in his own Théâtre Robert-Houdin, where he had been performing his own magic shows since 1888.

Méliès reverse-engineered the projector into a camera, purchased unperforated film in London, and experimented with development and printing methods, and began producing his own films.

By 1897, a new generation of cameras had hit the market, and Méliès abandoned his old camera for something newer. He had also moved production to a new studio called Montreuil, outside Paris, enabling him to fill his days with production, and still present shows at the Théâtre Robert-Houdin in the evenings.

Méliès is the most famous of early filmmakers for his memorable use of special effects, partly due to his background as a stage magician and experience with props. These props were often papier-mache or painted sets, and his female performers, drawn from the Corps de Ballet du Châtelet, were often dressed in shades of grey Méliès knew would suggest color better than actual color costumes on black and white film.

Apart from the colorized version of La Voyage dans la lune available on Netflix, there are hundreds of his other short films uploaded to streaming sites like Youtube.

So, take an hour or so to step back 120 years, to the dawn of cinema, and enjoy what your great-great-grandparents probably thought was one of the most truly amazing things of their time.

References:
Stover, Leon E. Science Fiction from Wells to Heinlein. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2002. Print.
"A Trip to the Moon (1902) – IMDb." N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
"Georges Méliès - IMDb." N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016. 
"Méliès, Georges - Festival De Cannes (International Film Festival)." N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016. 

Detecting Inpainting in Artwork

If you’ve spent time around artists, museums, or artwork in general, you have probably heard the term "inpainting." Simply put, inpainting is a process that reconstructs deteriorated portions of a painting or image.

The term can be also be used in reference to the replacement of corrupted or lost parts of a digital image, and is also known as "image interpolation" or "video interpolation."

In the world of fine art, a painting may have experienced varying degrees of deterioration, loss or damage that an owner or institution wishes to restore. An art conservator is called in. The best conservators are able to match pigment and texture so well that an expert eye is needed to spot it – or at least eyes armed with the right technology.

Naturally there is an army of things to consider before executing any inpainting: light and color phenomena, pigments and their properties, preparation and fills, wet and dry inpainting, media and toning systems – generally synthetic resins, watercolor, gouache, gums, pencils, pastels, dyes, etc. And there are inpainting modifiers such as bulking, glossing, matting and polishing agents; medium/pigment/diluent adjustments for unique structures, the application instrument, and of course any overarching philosophical or ethical considerations.

So, let’s assume we suspect a work of having inpainting, but the conservator was highly skilled. One of the easiest ways to discover it without the benefit of an art museum’s conservation laboratory is by examining the work under ultraviolet light, a common UV-A “black light.”

I recently examined a painting by Anton Lhota (Austrian, 1812-1905), an oil on linen biblical scene of a horrified Judas returning the thirty pieces of silver reward money as he sees Christ carrying the cross through a window. The painting was professionally restored in 1985, and included inpainting with Liquitex acrylic above Judas' head, and an isolating varnish.

Unlike major museum quality restorations, the inpainting here is visible to the naked eye - if you know what you're looking for, but a simple black light in a dark room readily reveals the restoration.

History's Stylus Remains Stuck in the Same Groove

The 2016 presidential election seems the most contentious of my lifetime. The amount of cognitive dissonance and outright hypocrisy among supporters of the front runners is, well, staggering. 

My fellow Americans seem unable or unwilling to shake off the shackles of the two-party system, so other party candidates often play to matinee-sized crowds or the fringes. That's not to say these other candidates are not flawed - though for me one is, even with his flaws, the most reasonable of the bunch...not to mention the only one my conscience will not punish me for ticking the box.

Anyway, since I'll be away on election day, I cast my absentee ballot by mail earlier this week.

Around the same time I received an email from a friend asking my opinion on a critical survey of democracy in today's world by George Monbiot titled "What We Are." The essay appeared in The Guardian on October 5th.

Of course, it set me to thinking about H.G. Wells's own After Democracy of 1932 (Watts & Co., London), so I swiveled my chair and pulled my copy from the shelf. The book happened to fall open to page 22 where I found a passage on 'Liberalism' that still resonates 84 years later:

In the United States Liberalism has been completely suppressed for over a hundred years. That is due to its own blundering. In its days of opportunity it devised a Constitution of incredible pedantry, and that Constitution was studied very carefully, and then jumped by two powerful gangs, the Republican and Democratic Parties, which have ever since ruled the country with much violence and disingenuousness, a close association with gangsters, and an extremely efficient suppression of radical and socially constructive ideas.

Allegorical Fame by Hyacinth Phileas Sobre

Allegorical bronze figure of Fame by Hyacinth Phileas Sobre (French, 1826-1902)

Virgil wrote of her Roman equivalent, Fama, having "her feet on the ground, and her head in the clouds, making the small seem great and the great seem greater."

Sobre's work shows Fame running on the breath of the wind.

Evaluation of the Day: October 7th - Rembrandt van Rijn Etching

Studies of the Head of Saskia and Others 
Etching by Rembrandt Harmenz van Rijn (1606-1669), circa 1790s impression on laid paper by P.H. Basan, from C.H. Watelet/J and P.J. Mariette plates. Signed in plate, lower left.

More information soon.

Lewis Carroll, Salvador Dali and the Héliogravure

Today I had the pleasure of evaluating a copy of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, from a rare, limited edition published in 1969 by Maecenas Press - Random House, New York.

Printed in an edition of 2500, the unbound copies included an etching and twelve heliogravures, and with Salvador Dali's signature on the title page.

In case you're wondering, héliogravure is a process invented in the 19th century for reproducing photographic images and is regarded as the oldest of its type.

The copy is coming to auction in November, so I'll post more about it when it's auction catalog is released. In the meantime, here are a few quick images...

H.G. Wells's Copyright Set to Expire

I have served as Webmaster for the H.G. Wells Society since 2002. One of my responsibilities is to forward email inquiries to the society secretary for consideration and distribution. I’ve seen a lot of different kinds of inquiries through the years, but for a time, one appeared more frequently than all others: copyright.

The copyright protecting H.G. Wells’s work in Britain and the EU was once so obscure and confusing to the general inquirer that a special webpage was expanded around 2005 to better address the issue, and was inspired partly by a controversy I was involved in regarding film versions of The War of the Worlds that were in production around that time.

While copyright on much of H.G. Wells’s work has expired in the United States, for the EU and other territories throughout the world, it remains the date of the author’s death plus 70 years (through the end of the calendar year). In Wells’s case, of course this is 31^st December 2016, since he left us on 13th August 1946.

Until now, filmmakers have needed to obtain permission from the Wells estate, via agents A.P. Watt, to release films in protected regions. While the motion picture world is the big money customer, I have seen other inquiries for things as unusual as The War of the Worlds-themed gambling machines!

Beyond the motion picture world, other kinds of presentations, such as musical versions or plays were allowed through obtaining dramatic rights.

Of course H.G. Wells’s oeuvre remains a popular font of ideas for filmmakers, whether they intend to make movies or TV shows based directly on his books, or simply borrow characters for a 21^st century romp.

While I personally have rarely been satisfied or impressed by the intellectual content of the recent Wellsian reboots and palimpsests, as we approach the end of the calendar year of Wells’s death, I think it’s appropriate to say, for better and worse, I expect things will get interesting...

Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and a US Liberty Loan Prussian Spike Helmet Prize, 1918

It is sometimes said that while the rest of the world goes to war for territory or to protect an empire, America goes to war for souvenirs. It's a cynical notion, clearly, though still manages to raise a smile here and there, especially among those for whom collecting historical militaria is a serious hobby.

As I'm sure we're all aware by now, nearly a century ago, the United States declared war on the Kaiser's Germany. At that time, the USA was a minor player on the world stage, despite having the most impressive industrial base of all. When congress did declare war in April 1917, the idea, at least according to President Wilson, was to 'make the world safe for democracy,' and acknowledging all the subtexts that go along with that grand-sounding idea.

Interestingly, the American army was not quite ready for combat on the scale the Great War demanded, both in terms of men and material. But as is usual in times of crisis or need, Americans rose to the challenge.

In 1913 - and about four years before the US 'threw its hat in the ring' of the Great War, the 16th Amendment to the US Constitution imposed an income tax on both individuals and corporations. Despite the influx of money to government coffers, made even greater by wartime tax increases, various drives and fundraisers were common and served very useful purposes, and none was more famous than the series of four Liberty Loans.

These loans, or bonds, were usually sold by Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and by the war's end, 2.3 million had been bought, with a total of $354 million owed to the people of the United States.

Various prizes were awarded to stimulate interest in the campaigns. One such item was this patriotic-painted Prussian enlisted spike helmet.

Captured from a Prussian soldier, the original black leather was repainted with patrioticAmerican red and white stripes across the crown, fore to aft, while the front visor was adorned with white stars on a blue field. A late 19th century braided horsehair cavalry plume was added to the spike top. 

The example pictured, sold by Manion's in September 2004, included the original leather liner. Special attention was paid to the detailing, meaning that the gilt Prussian eagle wappen (front plate), round spike base, and front visor trim were removed for painting and reapplied. 

A 'rare bird,' as we said in those days!

July Absence

July was a very busy month for my family, so the blog was neglected. I will at least post a bit about the adventures of my son and I at the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation sometime soon. But, in an effort to at least post one thing every month, here's a quickie.

I've enjoyed reading the "Old Farmer's Almanac" every year since 1979, when my grandfather put me on to it. So, turning the page to August, I see a cute little aphorism, "If the first week in August is unusually warm, the winter will be white and long."

Weather forecasts are for a very warm week indeed. Oh boy!

I also grew a beard this month that was shaved earlier today. :)

Macabre Victorians: The 'Hand of Cleopatra'

Doing some online research today and stumbled across this fun bit. Sold by Ancient Resource, LLC in March 2014, it reached a little over half the low estimate. See link for more images. 

It's worth noting Antony and Cleopatra's shared tomb has not been discovered as yet, so...

Mummified hand of 'Cleopatra'

A once in a lifetime opportunity to own the hand that may have caressed the face of Caesar and Mark Anthony! This same hand may very well have been one that held the asp that took her life. Please read the details below: The mummified hand of 'Cleopatra' with documentation. A preserved mummified left hand from the collection of the English General Bowser, who acquired it in 1794 while in Egypt. It was presented to the General as the 'hand of Cleopatra, daughter of Ptolemy Auletes'. L: 7 7/8 in (20.3 cm). The hand is in great condition with slender finger and well-preserved nails and yellowish leathery skin still on top, the palm with hand bones visible. Accompanying the hand is the original 1894 article about its rediscovery by Mr. Jordan in a lady's collection containing the facts per Rev. John Wharton. The hand is within the original mahogany case constructed by Mr. Jordan with original label and photo. Also included is a piece of Mrs. L. Jordan's stationary with notation about her husband's prior ownership of the hand, an insurance form for £500 dated 1/4/59, as well as two letters regarding the sale of the hand for L. Taylor at Sotheby, both on their stationary, one dated August 28th, 1958 and the other December 31st, 1958. Also included is a late 19th century pamphlet about Cleopatra's Needle, which is an Egyptian obelisk in England. Below are some of the details within the paperwork outlining the history of the hand: The mummified hand was presented to the English General Bowser, who defeated Tippoo Sahib in 1783-1794, in 1794 when he was visiting Egypt on his way back to England. Since this was not the usual route from India to England he must have been there for some exploration and acquisition. A letter in an 1894 English newspaper recants the rest of the history of the hand as told by Rev. John Wharton: 'The account which I have always heard is this: as the General was residing in the country various excavations of mummy pits were being made, and one magnificent but ponderous sarcophagus was brought to light.

The inscription was not, I should think hieroglyphic at so late a date, indicated the mummy as that of the celebrated Cleopatra. one of the hands was immediately presented to the valiant English general, and this is that identical hand'. The hand was rediscovered in a curio collection of one Miss Emma Thompson of Kirkby Stephen in 1894 by a Mr. Jordan, who purchased the piece. The hand had been in the Thompson family for three generations and had been given to them by General Bowser, apparently in or slightly after 1799, as it was wrapped in quarto-sized paper dated 1799. The 'authenticity' of the hand and it's incredible story was supported by the facts given by Rev. John Wharton, having been informed many years prior by the late Mrs. Thompson of Appleby (perhaps Emma Thompson's mother). This was all included within a newspaper article about the hand in an English paper of 1894. Great interest was stirred up by this 'discovery' and many people examined the hand, one man offering 500 pounds for the hand for purpose of exhibition! In 1958 the widow of Mr. Jordan, a Mrs. L. Jordan, an antiques dealer herself, sold the hand to one L. Taylor of Tynemouth, Northumberland. This L. Taylor Esq. had the hand insured and began corresponding with Sotheby in late 1958 and early 1959 about placing the mummified hand into one of their auctions, which they showed interest in doing. The hand however remained in the Taylor family until its sale in late 2010. A most interesting item with an unbroken history of ownership since its acquisition in 1794!

Live confidently:

Be sure of identity and value. Call your appraiser!

Copernicus: Body-Snatchers and Astronomical Revolution

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a Fellows Lecture by Dr. Karl Galle at Linda Hall Library, “The Unknown Copernicus: Spies, Printers, Amazons, and Body Snatchers in an Age of Astronomical Revolution.” I’ve included a few images from the lecture and reception in the library’s Rare Book Room.

Dr. Galle’s April 28th lecture capped a six month visit to the library in order to study more on the life and work of Copernicus, a subject that began as a simple sidebar in his dissertation.

Copernicus' De revolutionibus orbium coelestium

While the place of Copernicus in the history of astronomy is well documented and quite secure, there were other aspects of his life that are far less appreciated, and paint a more fascinating portrait of a man that until now is usually only thought of as a ‘sixteenth century astronomer.’

Georg von Peuerbach's
Theoricae novae planetarium (1542)

What Dr. Galle found from his time among the open and closed stacks of the LHL’s rare books was that in addition to being next to impossible to make a living as an astronomer in Copernicus’s time, his ‘day job’ as a government functionary contained high adventure and intrigue, including when his apartment ransacked for a map that was thought to show geographic boundaries. He also had a physiologist acquaintance that were known to snatch bodies of the executed for truly scientific purposes.

Dr. Galle is now returning to his day job at the American University in Cairo, and hopes to have developed a book proposal by the end of 2016 dealing with his findings at the LHL.

Follow Dr. Galle on academia.edu

Georg von Peuerbach's
Theoricae novae planetarium...ab Erasmo Reinholdo...auctae (1553)

Austrian Kammerherrn Gold Bullion Chamber Key, Portapee and Case

From the Manion’s years: February 2003

Early 20^th century. Gold bullion Austrian double headed eagle mounted over two acorns and bullion twist, for the ‘Kammerherrn Schluessel,’ or master of the chamber. Included original form fitted box by the maker Franz Thill’s Neffe of Vienna, leatherette exterior with impressed and gold leaf printed double headed eagle to highed lid, push button release.  

The Value of History at KCEPS: A Recap

Last Thursday and Friday saw the 35^th annual Kansas City Estate Planning Symposium set up shop inside the Overland Park Convention Center.

The symposium’s goal is as an educational resource for estate planners, wealth managers, trust officers and business advisors within our region on legal, tax, insurance, planning and practice issues, utilizing national speakers and resources wherever possible. This year’s topics included “Exploring the Tax Space Continuum, Planning for the Modern Family, Cyber Estate Planning and Administration, Hot Button Tax Issues for the IRS, Undue Influences, Ethics, Estate Planning Issues With Intra-Family Loans and Notes, Charitable Gift Planning Strategies Involving Closely-Held Businesses, and more.

What drew me to it was the networking opportunity it provided. All manner of estate planning attorneys, business and tax attorneys, CPAs, trust officers, planned giving professionals, financial planners and life underwriters were present.

Exhibitors tended to be those in orbit around the estate planning industry – banks, trusts, business valuers, an auctioneer, MU, etc, and we made many great contacts throughout the estate planning community here locally and nationally.

Noted jewelry appraiser Tracey Kahle and I set up shop together as exhibitors, and as it happened, had one of the better spots – near the end of the foyer, across from the main ballroom, dining room – not to mention the all-important restrooms, and beside the only easy access to the outdoors from that floor, the sun patio.

In an effort to make our table stand out, Tracey brought her microscope and works on gems and jewelry, while I brought my Edwardian British Diplomat uniform, circa 1900 Baden Police Spike Helmet, a pair of Belleek pieces, Majollica, and Orefors crystal in order to illustrate the range of items that are most often worth appraising in an estate planning setting.

After two days of great conversations and sitting in on a lecture or two, I was wiped out. I’d like to thank my colleague Tracey Kahle for alerting me to it, and the various underwriters.  I’m really glad I did it and look forward to next year!

Personal Property and Peace of Mind

In 2014, Consumer Reports published a handy flow chart outlining the process of dealing with personal property, or what they called “stuff.” And at the very top, directly beneath the first item, what do we find? “Get an appraisal.”

Seems simple enough, right? One of the more frequent calls I receive involves folks with “stuff.” Yes, stuff. But often they are unsure of what this stuff is – let alone its worth.

Sometimes the caller is managing an estate of stuff left behind by a relative. There may be other family members involved in overseeing its administration. Sometimes the family is in no hurry to deal with the stuff, other times the stuff has become an albatross, a time-sucking personal property stuff vampire that has raised tension between family members and just needs to be dealt with as swiftly as possible.

Other times it may be stuff the individual has collected but are now unsure of value. They know what they paid for the stuff, but they also (rightly) suspect that doesn’t really mean anything anymore.

Sometimes grand tales have been appended to the stuff, and a client is curious what effect it might have on the stuff’s desirability.

Of course they’re understandably hesitant during the call because they really don’t want to pay for a formal written appraisal on stuff that just isn’t worth it. And why should they?

In short, when they call me, they’re really looking for assurance and protection. They want to know they’ve done due diligence regarding the stuff by finding a professional to assist with discovery and identification.

They’re tired, overwhelmed, intimidated, or generally confused about their next step. Happily their challenge is not as big or daunting as they might believe!

My goal in this phase is to arm my clients with knowledge, perspective, options, and ultimately, peace of mind. I provide information about the items that will help the client with resolution, so they can confidently take their next step with the property, whether that involves liquidation, donation, equitable distribution, personal accession, or some other eventuality.

Now, appraisers like myself that work to maintain membership in professional appraiser associations like the International Society of Appraisers (ISA), American Society of Appraisers (ASA), or American Association of Appraisers (AAA), are “cap specific,” that is to say we define our role in any situation very precisely.

If I am acting as an appraiser, I am bound by a very specific code of ethics that does not allow me to wear multiple caps at once. For instance, I cannot be an authenticator and an appraiser at the same time. The conflict of interest is, I think, obvious. If you call an appraiser that offers to do both, hang up.

So, how are my services different?

As outlined above, I may serve as an appraiser or a consultant. As a consultant I can freely inspect a client’s stuff and search for pieces that might have a value worthy of further consideration, judged by whatever criteria the client has outlined. The reasoning may have nothing to do with monetary value.

What the client stands to gain from our association is security, confidence, peace of mind, and knowledge. The cost for this type of service is considerably less than a formal appraisal, and in some cases can even be credited toward a formal appraisal of items the client already had in mind, or have discovered along the way.

Is Donation Right For You?

Going back to the flow chart, one area that is underemphasized is charitable donation. This is an avenue that clients often find serves their interests more effectively than worrying over marketplaces they’re unfamiliar with.

Having worked the auction side in the past myself, they’re almost always up front with how afraid they are that an item being sold at auction for less than they believe it is worth, but they don’t have the time or patience to micromanage a consignment shop situation.

The fastest solution for these clients is to use the inspection process to:

• Discover the stuff they want to keep.
• Identify the stuff having what they deem to be significant value – again often regardless of monetary value.
• Consider the avenues for donation according to the highest and best use of their stuff.
• Order a USPAP-compliant donation appraisal on the remaining stuff for tax relief.

Now that we’ve worked our way through some options, let’s figure out what appraisers mean by USPAP-compliance.

If you’ve bought or sold a home, you have probably heard the property appraiser mention USPAP. This is because both real property and personal property appraisers use the same basic standards during the valuation process.

Now, we know risks associated with personal property are mitigated by having a formal appraisal. It follows that appraisals are vital to obtaining accurate and adequate insurance coverage, settling a claim, helping determine estate tax liability, documenting a charitable donation, aiding in equitable distribution, or even just in preparation for resale.

The fact is, more and more people are realizing, sometimes too late, that their basic homeowner insurance policies is not enough to cover their collection of antiques, artwork or artifacts. Other times items are shrouded in mystery and folks are simply curious about what they have, especially inherited pieces thought to have historical significance or special value. Accurate identification and valuation is vitally important because it almost always determines your next step in protecting the property.

You may have already had an appraisal on items, but the report is more than five years old. A updated report not only protects you with more accurate current numbers, but I am often able to append an even greater amount of detail and historical perspective to your items that will serve your future generations when they look back on the family heirlooms, as well as ensure that they will not be fooled by unscrupulous selling agents or auctioneers that might otherwise want to take advantage of holes in your knowledge about your own items.

But not all appraisers are equal!

There are three main professional appraisal associations operating in the USA, the International Society of Appraisers, the American Society of Appraisers, and the American Association of Appraisers. Members of each association are held to the highest standards and continually work to maintain their credentials within their association. When you do finally choose an appraiser or consultant, be sure they are a member of one of these three organizations.

You will hear those of us that are part of these professional appraisal associations talk about “Uniform Standards of the Professional Appraisal Practice,” or USPAP.

What are these standards and why are they important to an appraisal?

Think of them as quality control standards for appraising both real estate and personal property. In the United States they are administered by the Congressionally-authorized Appraisal Foundation. The IRS requires appraisals for their use to be USPAP compliant. Appraisers that are members of reputable associations like the ISA are required to maintain USPAP-compliance.

Whether you need a formal or verbal appraisal, or just basic advice, USPAP compliance is the truest indication of an appraiser’s seriousness and professionalism.

Create your own file or database with an inventory and photographs of your personal property. Include your original receipts and any pieces of provenance, no matter how seemingly small or insignificant. These can provide clues or act as evidence to a future appraiser that might help your valuation. Inspect your items frequently, and call a professional if things don't seem right. 

If you have an artifact, antique, artwork, rare book, general collectible, or even an entire estate filled with different kinds of “stuff” – give me a call at (816) 289-5400 or send me an email, I’m ready to help!

For more information on USPAP, see my website: www.charleskeller.net

Capturing the Elusive Mercury, April 2016

All observational photos taken 4/13/16

This is the time of year when, because of its proximity to the autumnal equinox, the obliquity, or angle of the ecliptic - the apparent path of the sun across the background stars, is narrow relative to the horizon.

An easy way of illustrating this is with the moon. As a general rule, the moon rises approximately 50 minutes later than it did the day or night before, except during the full Harvest Moon period of September.

Because of the narrow angle of the ecliptic around the time of the autumnal equinox, the moon rises only about 30 to 35 minutes later each night, and seems to hug the eastern horizon longer before making its way across the sky.

So, here we are just shy of six months on the opposite side of the calendar, not long after the vernal equinox of spring, which means the obliquity of the ecliptic is widest. The effect is that objects will stand higher from the horizon than other times of year, while their speed across the sky remains the same. If you noticed recent waxing crescent moons looking oddly like the ghostly grin of Lewis Carroll’s vanished Cheshire Cat suspended in the western sky after sunset, this is why!

The planet Mercury, one of the five original “wanderers” of astronomical antiquity, is famously elusive even in the best of apparitions. Because it orbits inside the orbit of the Earth, both it and Venus never stand in opposition relative to the sun – that is to say they will never be visible all night long. Instead they are only visible briefly each night, either minutes, in the case of Mercury or hours for Venus, before or after sunset, depending upon which side of the sun they appear relative to the Earth, or of course if they are in superior or inferior conjunction (behind or in front of the sun’s disc, depending on their orbit).

The speedy messenger of the gods is currently shining in the evening twilight at an approximate magnitude of -0.2, making it an easy naked-eye object, and of course bright enough to be captured by my cell phone camera.

If ever you wanted to see Mercury with your own eyes, there is no better time than the present! All you really need is a clear horizon to the northwest.

Mercury’s greatest elongation – when it will appear farthest from the sun from our perspective and therefore highest in our sky, is April 18th. But don’t wait long. The planet’s 88-day orbit around the sun means these apparitions are fast - as befits the messenger of the gods, and the planet will quickly sink back into the glare of the sun toward inferior conjunction in a few weeks, transit across the sun’s disc on May 16th – an event visible from western Europe, eastern North America, Northern South America, and emerge ahead of the sun in the morning sky late next month!