If you’re really lucky, you might spot Jupiter in the haze of morning twilight. The green line depicts the ecliptic – the sun’s annual path in front of the constellations of the Zodiac.
Before dawn on September 10, 2015 – given clear skies – you should have no trouble seeing the moon and Venus in the east before sunrise. After all, the moon and Venus rank as the second-brightest and third-brightest celestial bodies, after the sun. Sharp-sighted people might even see the moon and Venus after sunrise.
However, you’ll need a fairly dark sky to spot the planet Mars and the star Regulus. Venus shines more than 100 times more brilliantly than either Mars or Regulus. If you can’t see Mars or Regulus with the unaided eye, try your luck with binoculars. And while you’re at it, check out the earthshine on the dark side of the waning crescent moon.
This is also a good time to see the crescent phase of Venus, but you’ll need a telescope to do it. Start with low power because it’s easier to get a clear focus than at high power. Likely, your view will be better at dawn, when the morning twilight lessens Venus’ glare and when this world shines higher in the morning sky.
At present, Venus disk appears from Earth to be about 17% illuminated by sunshine.
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Not to scale. The radius of Venus’ orbit is about 0.72 of Earth’s distance from the sun (0.72 of an astronomical unit) Venus swung between the Earth and sun at inferior conjunction on August 15, 2015. It’ll reach its greatest western (morning) elongation on Octpber 26, 2015. Midway between inferior conjunction and greatest elongation, Venus will showcase its greatest illuminated extend as the morning “star” on September 21, 2015.
In its swifter and shorter orbit around the sun, Venus is now moving ahead of Earth. Even so, Venus is brightening in Earth’s morning sky right now. Although Venus’ apparent disk is shrinking, its phase is waxing (increasing). By September 21, 2015, Venus will showcase its greatest illuminated extent, meaning that its illuminated portion will cover the greatest square area of sky.
At that juncture, Venus’ disk appears from Earth to be somewhat more than one-quarter illuminated by sunshine.
Bottom line: Don’t miss out on the beautiful waning crescent moon, sandwiched between brilliant Venus and much-fainter Mars, in the east before sunrise September 10, 2015.
Astronomy events, star parties, festivals, workshops for September-December, 2015
Super Blood Moon eclipse on night of September 27-28
Donate: Your support means the world to us
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1FbOowc
If you’re really lucky, you might spot Jupiter in the haze of morning twilight. The green line depicts the ecliptic – the sun’s annual path in front of the constellations of the Zodiac.
Before dawn on September 10, 2015 – given clear skies – you should have no trouble seeing the moon and Venus in the east before sunrise. After all, the moon and Venus rank as the second-brightest and third-brightest celestial bodies, after the sun. Sharp-sighted people might even see the moon and Venus after sunrise.
However, you’ll need a fairly dark sky to spot the planet Mars and the star Regulus. Venus shines more than 100 times more brilliantly than either Mars or Regulus. If you can’t see Mars or Regulus with the unaided eye, try your luck with binoculars. And while you’re at it, check out the earthshine on the dark side of the waning crescent moon.
This is also a good time to see the crescent phase of Venus, but you’ll need a telescope to do it. Start with low power because it’s easier to get a clear focus than at high power. Likely, your view will be better at dawn, when the morning twilight lessens Venus’ glare and when this world shines higher in the morning sky.
At present, Venus disk appears from Earth to be about 17% illuminated by sunshine.
Enjoying EarthSky so far? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!
Not to scale. The radius of Venus’ orbit is about 0.72 of Earth’s distance from the sun (0.72 of an astronomical unit) Venus swung between the Earth and sun at inferior conjunction on August 15, 2015. It’ll reach its greatest western (morning) elongation on Octpber 26, 2015. Midway between inferior conjunction and greatest elongation, Venus will showcase its greatest illuminated extend as the morning “star” on September 21, 2015.
In its swifter and shorter orbit around the sun, Venus is now moving ahead of Earth. Even so, Venus is brightening in Earth’s morning sky right now. Although Venus’ apparent disk is shrinking, its phase is waxing (increasing). By September 21, 2015, Venus will showcase its greatest illuminated extent, meaning that its illuminated portion will cover the greatest square area of sky.
At that juncture, Venus’ disk appears from Earth to be somewhat more than one-quarter illuminated by sunshine.
Bottom line: Don’t miss out on the beautiful waning crescent moon, sandwiched between brilliant Venus and much-fainter Mars, in the east before sunrise September 10, 2015.
Astronomy events, star parties, festivals, workshops for September-December, 2015
Super Blood Moon eclipse on night of September 27-28
Donate: Your support means the world to us
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1FbOowc
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