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Venus, Moon, and Neighbors

Title	Venus, Moon, and Neighbors
Explanation	Rising before the Sun on February 2nd, astrophotographer [ http://pages.prodigy.net/pam.orman/JoeGallery.html ] Joe Orman anticipated [ http://pages.prodigy.net/pam.orman/JoeAlmanac2000.html ] this apparition of the bright morning star [ http://ispec.scibernet.com/station/morn_star.html ] Venus near a lovely crescent Moon above a neighbor's house in suburban Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Fortunately, the alignment of bright planets and the Moon is one of the most inspiring sights in the night sky [ http://www.skypub.com/sights/skyevents/0004skyevents.html ] and one that is often easy to enjoy and share without any special equipment. Take tonight [ http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast30mar_1m.htm ], for example. Those blessed with clear skies can simply step outside near sunset and view a young crescent Moon very near three bright planets in the west Jupiter [ http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov/ ], Mars [ http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/ ], and Saturn [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cassini/ ]. Jupiter will be the unmistakable brightest star near the Moon with a reddish Mars just to Jupiter's north and pale yellow Saturn directly above. Of course, these sky shows [ http://drumright.ossm.edu/astronomy/conjunctions.html ] create an evocative picture [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000310.html ] but the planets and Moon just appear to be near each other -- they are actually only approximately lined up and lie in widely separated orbits. Unfortunately, next month's highly publicized alignment of planets [ http://www.griffithobs.org/SkyAlignments.html ] on May 5th will be lost from view in the Sun's glare but such planetary alignments [ http://www.skypub.com/news/special/whypanic.html ] occur repeatedly and pose no danger [ http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/misc/planets.html ] to planet Earth.

The Belt of Venus over the Valley of the Moon

The Belt of Venus over the V …

Title	The Belt of Venus over the Valley of the Moon
Explanation	Although you've surely seen it, you might not have noticed it. During a cloudless twilight [ http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/twilight ], just before sunrise [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030320.html ] or after sunset [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030412.html ], part of the atmosphere above the horizon appears slightly off-color, slightly pink. Called the Belt of Venus [ http://www.weather-photography.com/Photos/gallery.php?cat=optics&subcat=venus_belt ], this off-color band between the dark eclipsed [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030822.html ] sky and the blue sky [ http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/sky_blue.html ] can be seen in nearly every direction including that opposite the Sun. Straight above, blue sky [ http://www.why-is-the-sky-blue.org/why-is-the-sky-blue.html ] is normal sunlight reflecting off the atmosphere. In the Belt of Venus [ http://epod.usra.edu/archive/epodviewer.php3?oid=158080 ], however, the atmosphere reflects light from the setting (or rising) Sun which appears more red. The Belt of Venus [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_of_Venus ] can be seen from any location with a clear horizon. Pictured above, the Belt of Venus was photographed above morning fog [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap021122.html ] in the Valley of the Moon [ http://www.vmoa.kenwood.ca.us/ ], a famous wine-producing region in northern California [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California ], USA [ http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html ]. The belt is frequently [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap011209.html ] caught [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010601.html ] by [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010308.html ] accident [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990418.html ] in [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990325.html ] other [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990308.html ] photographs [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010501.html ].

Moon And Venus Share The Sky

Title	Moon And Venus Share The Sky
Explanation	July is drawing to a close and in the past few days, some early morning risers [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990714.html ] could have looked east and seen a crescent Moon sharing the pre-dawn [ http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast25jul_1m.htm ] skies with planets Jupiter and Saturn. Planet Mercury will also pass about 2 degrees from the thin waning crescent Moon [ http://aa.usno.navy.mil/AA/faq/docs/moon_phases.html ] just before sunrise near the eastern horizon on Saturday, July 29. And finally, on the evening of July 31st, Venus will take its turn near the crescent Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap991108.html ]. But this time it will be a day-old crescent Moon near the western horizon, shortly after sunset [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000507.html ]. In fact [ http://pages.prodigy.net/pam.orman/JoeAlmanac2000.html ], on July 31 (August 1 Universal Time) the Moon will occult [ http://www.skypub.com/sights/occultations/lunar/ 0001lunarocc.html ] (pass in front of) Venus for northwestern observers [ http://www.skypub.com/sights/images2000/ 0008moonvenus_big.jpg ] in North America. This telescopic picture taken on 31 December 1997, shows a lovely young crescent Moon and brilliant crescent Venus in [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990903.html ] the early evening sky near Bursa, Turkey [ http://www.mersina.com/Turkey/Marmara/Bursa/index.html ]. And what about the Sun? On Sunday, July 30, a partial eclipse of the Sun [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/extra/ PSE2000Jul31.html ] will be visible from some locations [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/ PSE2000Jul.gif ] in North America.

Crescent Venus and Moon

Title	Crescent Venus and Moon
Explanation	There's something behind these clouds. Those faint graceful arcs, upon inspection, are actually far, far in the distance. They are the Earth's Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060907.html ] and the planet Venus [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Venus ]. Both the Moon and Venus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050913.html ] are bright enough to be seen during the day, and both are quite capable of showing a crescent phase [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060618.html ]. To see Venus, which appears quite small, in a crescent phase [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060110.html ] requires binoculars [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binoculars ] or a telescope. In the above dramatic daytime image [ http://eder.csillagaszat.hu/digital/venus_fedes/Ven_fed.html ] taken from Budapest [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest ], Hungary [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungary ], the Moon and Venus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060723.html ] shared a similar crescent phase a few minutes before the Moon eclipsed [ http://www.astronomy.no/venus080604/venusocc/images.html ] the larger but more distant world. About an hour later, Venus reappeared.

Young Moon and Sister Stars

Title	Young Moon and Sister Stars
Explanation	A young [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050513.html ] crescent Moon shared the western sky with thin clouds and the sister stars [ http://www.naic.edu/~gibson/pleiades/pleiades_myth.html ] of the Pleiades cluster in this early evening skyscape recorded on April 19th. Astronomical images of the well-known Pleiades [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060109.html ] often show the star cluster's alluring blue reflection nebulae, but they are washed-out here in the clouds and bright moonlight. While the 3-day old Moon is overexposed, surface features can be seen on the dim lunar night side, illuminated by earthshine [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020419.html ] - light from sunlit planet Earth. Only a week earlier [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070414.html ], brilliant Venus also posed near the sister stars. Of course, Venus has not yet wandered too far from the Pleiades and still rules western skies as the evening star [ http://www.baltastro.org/AstroPoetry.html#EveningStar ].

Venus Near the Moon

Title	Venus Near the Moon
Explanation	The two brightest objects in the night sky appeared to go right past each other last week. On the night of May 19, Earth's Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051113.html ] and the planet Venus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070501.html ] were visible in the same part of the sky, and at closest approach were less than one degree apart. The conjunction was captured in the above image taken from near Quebec City [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_City ], Quebec [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec ], Canada [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada ]. Venus appears on the lower left of the above photo. The spires [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010415.html ] that appear to emanate from Venus [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus ] are diffraction spikes [ http://spider.ipac.caltech.edu/staff/kaspar/obs_mishaps/images/int_reflection2.html ] caused by the camera itself. The image is so clear that craters on the Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060530.html ] are resolved. Of course, the real physical distance between the two heavenly bodies was not unusually small -- the apparent conjunction [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjunction_%28astronomy_and_astrology%29 ] was really just an illusion [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvY7NGncCgU ] of perspective [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050913.html ]. Although Earth's Moon passes Venus once each month, such a close passing [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap061030.html ] visible in the evening sky [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020524.html ] is more rare.

The Moon's Saturn

Title	The Moon's Saturn
Explanation	On May 22nd, just days after sharing the western evening sky with Venus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070523.html ], the Moon moved on to Saturn [ http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.cfm ] - actually passing in front of the ringed planet when viewed in skies over Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. Because the Moon and bright planets wander through the sky near the ecliptic plane [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050503.html ], such occultation events [ http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/planets/ planets.htm ] are not uncommon, but they are dramatic [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030724.html ], especially in telescopic views. For example, in this sharp image Saturn is captured emerging from [ http://www.tamanti.it/Solar%20Sys/SaturnOccultation.htm ] behind the Moon, giving the illusion that it lies just beyond the Moon's bright edge. Of course, the Moon is a mere 400 thousand kilometers away, compared to Saturn's distance of 1.4 billion [ http://kokogiak.com/megapenny/nine.asp ] kilometers. Taken with [ http://www.kopfgeist.com/besonderes.htm ] a digital camera and 20 inch diameter telescope at the Weikersheim Observatory [ http://www.sternwarte-weikersheim.de/about/ about_set.html ] in southern Germany, the picture is a single exposure adjusted to reduce the difference in brightness between Saturn and the cratered lunar surface.

Bright Planets, Crescent Moo …

Title	Bright Planets, Crescent Moon
Explanation	Early risers are currently enjoying the sight [ http://stardate.org/nightsky/planets/ ] of dazzling Venus [ http://www.nineplanets.org/venus.html ], near the eastern horizon as the morning star [ http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/venus/ morning_star.html&edu=high ]. Recorded on October 7, this predawn skyview [ http://www.usno.navy.mil/pao/sky/sky_week.shtml ] does feature Venus at the upper right. It also includes a crescent Moon and Saturn (lower left). In fact, holding your fist at arms length would have easily covered [ http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/scale.html ] both planets and the Moon in this 5 degree wide field. Earthshine [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020419.html ], sunlight reflected from planet Earth's dayside, illuminates features on the lunar nightside. A close inspection of Saturn itself reveals a nearby pinpoint of light corresponding to Saturn's [ http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/science/moons/index.cfm ] large moon Titan. Though the Moon has moved on, the tight triangle [ http://www.spaceweather.com/images2007/12oct07/ skymap_north.gif ] formed by Venus, Saturn, and Regulus (top), alpha star in the constellation Leo, will continue to look impressive in early morning skies over the next few days. Early bird astrophotographer Jay Ouellet also described Mars as [ http://www.spaceweather.com/images2007/11oct07/ skymap_north_mars.gif ] a "brilliant red diode" in his dark country sky east of Quebec City, Canada. Count the Stars: The Great World Wide Star Count [ http://www.windows.ucar.edu/citizen_science/starcount/ ]

The Earth and Moon Planetary …

Title	The Earth and Moon Planetary System
Explanation	How similar in size are the Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010204.html ] and the Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000113.html ]? A dramatic visual answer [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/PIAGenCatalogPage.pl?PIA02441 ] to this question is found by combining photographs taken by the Mariner 10 spacecraft [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/tmp/1973-085A.html ] that headed out toward Venus [ http://www.nineplanets.org/venus.html ] and Mercury [ http://www.solarviews.com/eng/mercury.htm ] in 1973. The Moon [ http://www.nineplanets.org/luna.html ] can be seen to have a diameter over one quarter that of Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/earth.html ], relatively large compared to its planetary companion [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap991231.html ]. In our Solar System [ http://www.nineplanets.org/overview.html ], only Pluto and Charon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980708.html ] are closer together in size. Striking features of the Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap001127.html ] visible to the passing spacecraft include blue oceans [ http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/ocean_planet.html ] and white clouds [ http://vortex.plymouth.edu/clouds.html ], showing the Earth [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/ ] to be truly a water world [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980530.html ].

Moon and Planets by the Eiff …

Title	Moon and Planets by the Eiffel Tower
Explanation	The great evening grouping of planets [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020429.html ] is coming to an end. Before all the planets [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020510.html ] went their own separate directions [ http://CarnegieScienceCenter.org/exhibits/planet_calendar.asp ], however, the Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010218.html ] was kind enough to pose [ http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/planets/gallery_may02.html ] with some of them. The planets [ http://www.nineplanets.org ] in the above picture [ http://perso.club-internet.fr/legault/planets.html ], taken last week, are Venus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap970507.html ] and Jupiter [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020205.html ]. Mars [ http://www.nineplanets.org/mars.html ], Saturn [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010702.html ], and even Mercury [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000320.html ] appear to the lower right of Venus [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/photogallery-venus.html ] but are too dim to be seen. Over the next two weeks, the Moon will rise [ http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.html ] later and later passing a full phase [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990419.html ] on May 26. Venus and Jupiter will continue to shine, moving together [ http://SkyandTelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/article_572_4.asp ] until their closest approach on June 3. The Eiffel Tower [ http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/ ], however, is expected to remain right where it is.

The Moon & Venus Over Geneva

Title	The Moon & Venus Over Geneva
Explanation	The Moon, fresh from a biting encounter [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020612.html ] with the Sun last week [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020610.html ], appeared next to threaten Venus. The waxing Moon [ http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/java/MoonPhase.html ] appeared to glide right past, however, just a few degrees away [ http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/planets/gallery_june02_page2.html ]. Venus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/venus.html ], of course, is much further away from the Earth than the Moon, so the passing was really just an angular illusion [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020130.html ]. Pictured above [ http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/planets/gallery_june02_page2.html ] on June 13, a fading sunset finds the crescent Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020225.html ] and Venus [ http://www.nineplanets.org/venus.html ] between clouds and above the city lights of Geneva [ http://www.geneva.ch/GenevaHistory.htm ], Switzerland [ http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sz.html ].

Moon, Mars, Venus, and Spica

Title	Moon, Mars, Venus, and Spica
Explanation	Gliding toward today's total eclipse [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/ eclipse/TSE2002/TSE2002.html ] of the Sun, the crescent Moon has been rising early, just before dawn. And as a prelude to its close solar alignment [ http://www.mreclipse.com/ Special/SEprimer.html ], the Moon also completed a lovely celestial triangle, closing with bright planets Mars and Venus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020524.html ] on the morning of December 1. While [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap021203.html ] the total solar eclipse can only [ http://profjohn.com/el/el2002/index.html ] be seen [ http://www.csiro.au/helix/eclipse/ ] from a [ http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/solar_eclipse_2002/ ] narrow corridor, skygazers around the globe could appreciate this [ http://www.spaceweather.com/planets/ gallery_01dec02.html ] lunar-planetary conjunction. This view is from near Nashville Tennessee, USA, and finds brilliant Venus at the lowest corner of the triangle with a much fainter Mars immediately to the right of the Moon. The Moon's sunlit crescent is overexposed, but details of the lunar night side are revealed by earthshine [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020419.html ]. Above and to the right of the trio is Spica [ http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/ hr/5056.html ], brightest star in the constellation Virgo.

The Belt of Venus over the V …

Title	The Belt of Venus over the Valley of the Moon
Explanation	Although you've surely seen it, you might not have noticed it. During a cloudless twilight [ http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/twilight ], just before sunrise [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030320.html ] or after sunset [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030412.html ], part of the atmosphere above the horizon appears slightly off-color, slightly pink. Called the Belt of Venus [ http://www.weather-photography.com/Photos/gallery.php?cat=optics&subcat=venus_belt ], this off-color band between the dark eclipsed [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030822.html ] sky and the blue sky [ http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/sky_blue.html ] can be seen in nearly every direction including that opposite the Sun. Straight above, blue sky [ http://www.why-is-the-sky-blue.org/why-is-the-sky-blue.html ] is normal sunlight reflecting off the atmosphere. In the Belt of Venus [ http://epod.usra.edu/archive/epodviewer.php3?oid=158080 ], however, the atmosphere reflects light from the setting (or rising) Sun which appears more red. The Belt of Venus [ http://home.iprimus.com.au/rsims/atmospheric01.htm ] can be seen from any location with a clear horizon. Pictured above, the Belt of Venus was photographed above morning fog [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap021122.html ] in the Valley of the Moon [ http://www.vmoa.kenwood.ca.us/ ], a famous wine-producing region in northern California [ http://www.state.ca.us/ ], USA [ http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html ]. The belt is frequently [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap011209.html ] caught [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010601.html ] by [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010308.html ] accident [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990418.html ] in [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990325.html ] other [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990308.html ] photographs [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010501.html ].

Venus and the 37 Hour Moon

Title	Venus and the 37 Hour Moon
Explanation	At Table Mountain Observatory [ http://tmf-web.jpl.nasa.gov/projects.html ], near Wrightwood California, USA on October 26, wild fires were [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030807.html ] approaching from the east. But looking toward the west just after sunset [ http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.html ], astronomer James Young could still enjoy this comforting view of a young crescent Moon [ http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/islamic.html ] and brilliant Venus [ http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/ venus.html ] through the the fading twilight. Setting over the horizon of Mt. Baden-Powell, the thin crescent was only about 37 hours "old", or 37 hours after its exact New Moon phase [ http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.html ]. After disappearing from [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990903.html ] morning twilight in August, Venus [ http://www.transitofvenus.org/ ] was becoming prominent in its role in western skies as the evening star [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010601.html ]. A similar lovely pairing of thin crescent Moon and stunning evening star can be seen toward the west in today's evening twilight [ http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/ 09dec_sunset.htm ]. Happy Holidays and Best Wishes from APOD [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/lib/ about_apod.html ]!

Moon and Planets Sky Credit & Copyright: Wojtek Rychlik [ http://www.pikespeakphoto.com ]

Moon and Planets Sky Credit …

Title	Moon and Planets Sky Credit & Copyright: Wojtek Rychlik [ http://www.pikespeakphoto.com ]
Explanation	Look up into the sky tonight [ http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2004/ 19mar_planets.htm ] and without a telescope or binoculars you might have a view [ http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/gmackie/billions.html ] like this one of Moon, planets and stars. The lovely photo [ http://www.pikespeakphoto.com/planets.html ] was taken on March 23rd, and captures the crescent Moon on the horizon with Venus above it. Both brilliant celestial bodies are over-exposed. Farther above Venus is the tinted glow of Mars with the Pleiades star cluster just to the red planet's right. The V-shaped arrangement of stars [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040304.html ] to the left of Mars is the Hydaes star cluster. Bright red giant Aldebaran [ http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/sow/ aldebaran.html ], not itself a member of the Hyades cluster, marks the top left of the V. During the next week [ http://www.griffithobs.org/planetsgather.html ], all five naked-eye planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, along with the Moon will grace the evening sky [ http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/ article_1226_1.asp ] together - a lunar and planetary spectacle that can be enjoyed by skygazers [ http://www.spaceweather.com/ ] around the world. But look just after sunset, low on the western horizon, to see Mercury [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030412.html ] before it sets. The next similar gathering [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000524.html ] of the planets will be in 2008.

Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Phoeni …

Title	Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Phoenix
Explanation	Before a relaxing sunrise, the sky begins to glow with unusual delights. Such was the view from Papago Park [ http://expedia.msn.com/wg/places/UnitedStates/Phoenix/A11004288.htm ] in Phoenix [ http://www.ci.phoenix.az.us/ ], Arizona [ http://www.state.az.us/ ] this April. The glittering objects visible in this photograph [ http://www.psiaz.com/polakis/skyphoto.html ] are, from lower left to upper right: Phoenix, our Moon [ http://www.seds.org/nineplanets/nineplanets/luna.html ], Venus [ http://www.hawastsoc.org/solar/eng/venus.htm ], and Jupiter [ http://emma.la.asu.edu/SOLAR_SYST_TOUR/Jupiter.html ]. Such proximity is somewhat unusual. Jupiter will be visible in the evening sky [ http://www.skypub.com/whatsup/whatsup.shtml ] through the rest of the year, while Venus can be seen in the early morning sky during the month of September [ http://www.skypub.com/whatsup/sep98sky.html ].

Moon Over Shiraz

Title	Moon Over Shiraz
Explanation	Early morning risers around the world [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap041108.html] have enjoyed the sight of bright planets [ http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2004/ 02nov_venusjupiter.htm ] in this week's predawn skies - further enhanced by the celestial spectacle of the waning crescent Moon [ http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html ]. From some locations the Moon was seen to pass in front of Jupiter [ http://skyandtelescope.com/news/article_1385_1.asp ] or Venus, a lunar occultation. Recorded near sunrise on November 10th from Shiraz [ http://www.mssimmons.com/ms/Iran/Iran2002/Shiraz/ Astronomony.com4.html ], Iran, this eastern horizon view finds Jupiter (top) and a brilliant Venus in line with [ http://www.aaa.org/aaawhatsup.htm ] the Moon, a lovely conjunction of the three brightest objects in the night sky. Although the Moon has now [ http://aa.usno.navy.mil/idltemp/current_moon.html ] fallen out of the early morning scene [ http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/ataglance/ article_110_1.asp ], Venus and Jupiter (along with a much fainter Mars) still precede the rising Sun above the eastern horizon.

Moon Over California

Title	Moon Over California
Explanation	The Moon, Saturn, and Venus shine above while city lights twinkle below in the deepening twilight of [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990325.html ] March 19. Taken from outside Indio, California, the photo shows [ http://members.home.com/rmscott/orman_index.html ] the city lights of Indio and nearby Palm Springs. The brilliant lunar crescent [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990129.html ] is over exposed here with Saturn about 4 degrees away to the upper right and bright Venus still farther to the right only another 2 degrees or so. This Sunday evening, April 18, another dramatic lunar spectacle should be easily visible to stargazers [ http://eclipse.span.ch/18apr99.htm ] in the western and midwestern US when the crescent moon passes in front of the bright star Aldebaran [ http://www.skypub.com/sights/skyevents/9904skyevents.html ].

Moon River

Title	Moon River
Explanation	Shortly after sunset [ http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/26aug_sunset.htm ] on September 6th, sky gazers around the world were treated [ http://www.davidcortner.com/regions/america/carolinas/ catawba_pan.html ] to a lovely crescent Moon [ http://www.earthsky.com/skywatching/moonphases.php ] in western skies -- joined by [ http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/ article_1456_2.asp ] bright planets Venus and Jupiter. In this colorful telephoto view from near Quebec City, Canada the Moon is nestled just above the wide St. Lawrence River [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lawrence_River ]. Lights on the horizon are along the river's southern shore. Also known as the evening star, Venus is [ http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/bronte/ nockholds1.html ] at the upper left and Jupiter at the upper right, while another prominent celestial beacon, Spica, [ http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/sow/spica.html ] can be seen shining through the twilight below Venus. Spica, actually a very close pair of hot blue stars some 260 light-years away, is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo [ http://hawastsoc.org/deepsky/vir/index.html ].

December Moon Meets Evening …

Title	December Moon Meets Evening Star
Explanation	If you've been outdoors near sunset, then you've probably noticed Venus [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/ venusfact.html ] low in the west as the brilliant evening star [ http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/venus/ shadow-of-venus.html ]. Sometimes mistaken [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050609.html ] for a tower light near the horizon, Venus is the third brightest celestial beacon, after the Sun and Moon, in planet Earth's sky. That distinction is particularly easy to appreciate in this peaceful scene [ http://www.pbase.com/missouri_skies/image/53158060 ] featuring the crescent Moon, Venus, and sunset colors [ http://www.missouriskies.org/ sunset_gallery/sunsetgallery.html ] captured on December 4th near Albany, Missouri, USA. As this season's evening star, Venus [ http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/ ] will be at its most brilliant tonight, but as December progresses the bright planet [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040521.html ] will begin to fall out [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990903.html ] of the western sky. By early next week, December's Moon will have moved on to meet another bright planet overhead -- Mars [ http://stardate.org/nightsky/almanac/ s200512_alm.html ].

Old Moon and Sister Stars

Title	Old Moon and Sister Stars
Explanation	An old [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050513.html ] crescent Moon shares the eastern sky over Menton, France [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050318.html ] with the sister stars [ http://www.naic.edu/~gibson/pleiades/ pleiades_myth.html ] of the Pleiades cluster in this early morning skyscape recorded [ http://vjac.free.fr/conjunctions/230606.html ] just last Friday, June 23rd. (Bright Venus was also near the eastern horizon, but is not pictured here.) Astronomical images of the well-known Pleiades [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060109.html ] often show the cluster's alluring blue reflection nebulae, but they are washed out here by the bright moonlight. Still, while the crescent Moon [ http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions/ question3.html ] is overexposed, surface features can be seen on the dim lunar night side illuminated by earthshine [ http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/ 12apr_earthshine.htm ] - light from sunlit planet Earth. Of course, you can spot a young crescent Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020419.html ] in the early evening sky tonight. Having left the Pleiades behind, a lovely lunar crescent now appears in the west, lining up with [ http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/ article_1748_1.asp ] planets Mars, Saturn, and Mercury along the solar system's ecliptic plane [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040501.html ].

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