[masraum]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

I have a Meade EXT that cost around $800 15 years ago. I do remember finding Venus and seeing the surface partly in shadow. Crescent shape lit up.

I don't know what made the shadow, though. That's how little I know.

Coolest thing was seeing Jupiter's moons, though.

Originally Posted by flatbutt

I have the Meade also, it's my grab and go scope.

As for Venus the "shadow" is the same as for the Moon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phases_of_Venus

Right, it's not a shadow from something the way an eclipse is. It's that you're looking at the body at an angle where you see some of the front (side facing the light source) and some of the rear (side facing away from light source).