This Week's Sky at a Glance [crescent moon joins bright Venus just after sunset tonight and Wed]

Sky and Telescope Magazine ^ | Dec 30 and 31 | Alan M. MacRobert

[ETL]

Tuesday, December 30:

The Moon shines to Venus's lower right, as shown here. It's getting ready for its leap up to join Venus tomorrow (as seen from the longitudes of the Americas).

Wednesday, December 31:

Venus and the Moon form a strikingly beautiful pair high in the southwestern twilight, as shown here. They're 3° or 4° apart as seen from North America.

Meanwhile, Jupiter and Mercury are also paired far to the lower right of the Moon and Venus. This is the evening when Jupiter and Mercury are closest, 1.3° apart.

Europeans are well placed for the best of both events above. Contributor David Likuski writes, "The Mercury-Jupiter conjunction is at about 14:40 Universal Time, while the Venus-Moon conjunction is about 17:25 UT. Therefore, 16:00 UT is about the middle of the two." This is around the time of sunset for London. "Overall, a good chunk of mainland Europe seems to have the good combination of darkness and altitude for Mercury" at the midpoint time between the two conjunctions.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/ataglance

[ETL]

Note about trying to see Jupiter and Mercury: Both will be rather low in the south-western sky at sunset, where they will be setting not too long after the sun does --each sets less than an hour after the sun, so you'll need a good clear view of the western sky just above your south-west horizon in order to see them. Jupiter is by far the brighter of the two and appears white. Less bright Mercury will appear smaller and slightly orange. Today, and especially tomorrow (Wednesday, Dec 31), will be the best days for viewing the crescent moon near Venus, as the moon will move off more and more to the left (east) of Venus each day afterward.

Sunset is currently around 4:40PM. Venus is currently setting about 3-1/2 hours after the sun (~8:15PM).

-ETL

[onedoug]

Thanks so much.
‘Saw Venus last night from SOCAL, about as bright as I’ve ever seen it.

[pgkdan]

I saw them last night and it was a beautiful sight.

[EggsAckley]

I have been enjoying the star show every night SO much this month. We’re having unusually clear skies and I’ve never seen so many stars in my 40 years here. I’m on the coast of Central Calif, and have about a 260 degree view of the sky (round house). Sitting in the hot tub late at night and seeing the star show has been absolutely wonderful.

[ETL]

It’s going to get a wee bit brighter in the weeks to come (max about -4.9 magnitude, it’s now -4.2). After that, as it slowly begins moving closer and closer (in the sky as we see it) to the Sun, it will begin to get dimmer. At the moment it’s still moving away from the Sun each day (eastward from it). On Jan 14th, it will be as far east as it will get this time around.

[The KG9 Kid]

This Astronomy thread ought to be the appropriate place to mention the amazing freeware 3D skywatching software 'Stellarium'.

Download link for PC/Mac/Linux available here:

Stellarium is a free open source planetarium for your computer. It shows a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.

[Reddy]

bookmark

[ETL]

Thanks. I’ll check it out.

[La Enchiladita]

Thank you. I think we have clear weather tonight; I’ll be looking for this.

[ETL]

Tomorrow will be even better. The Moon will have moved much closer in the sky to Venus.

[La Enchiladita]

You are so good to post these sky events.
Happy New Year!!

[ETL]

Thanks (blushing), and you too! :)

[onedoug]

Good show tonight too. I’ll try to get out a little earlier tomorrow to try and catch Mercury and Juptiter before they set.

“The starry fimament above, and the moral law within me....” —Imanuel Kant

You don’t have a ping list, do you?

Thanks, again.

[qam1]

Here's where they were Tuesday night at ~5:15pm

Venus Upper Left - Jupiter (top) and Mercury (Bottom) just above the trees

By tonight Weds, the moon will be closer to Venus and Jupiter and Mercury should be more side by side

I've been kind of obsessed with these planets this month since their groupings, here's some pics throughout the month, trying my best to take nighttime photos

*Pictures*

[ETL]

Wow! Great photos! Thanks for sharing. That Dec 1 conjunction was really incredible. I was telling everyone in the street what those two bright ‘star-like objects were (Venus and Jupiter). And only a handful thought I was nuts!

[Gondring]

Thank you so much for the heads up. Venus was very bright, the moon was lighted up by earthglow, and both Jupiter and Mercury were brighter than I can ever recall seeing them.

I called my brother and he took his 2-year-old out to see them. He asked what she saw, and she said, "A PLA-net and the MOOOOOON!" Although she guessed it was Jupiter (Mercury and Jupiter were below the horizon by then), when he asked her "what kind of moon?" she answered, "Waxing Crescent MOOOON!"

I wonder if he'll have her setting up a 6" reflector at age 3. :-)

[jan in Colorado]

WOW!!!! She sounds like a real cutie.

[ETL]

That’s wonderful! And the reason why I posted it. :)

[ETL]

BTW: as it says at the top, tonight will be even better. The Moon will have moved right beside Venus! Unfortunately, for me and others in the northeast, we likely won’t be able to see it. Sleet and snow today. :(

[Gondring]

Yeah, I’m in the northeast, too... but last night was spectacular.

I hope others reading this will check it out tonight, if in a good locale.