waning crescent Moon nears Venus

Event Date: January 9th

Time: 7:00 AM

Brief

   We will continue from yesterday looking southeast, with the waning, crescent Moon leaving the brighter stars of Scorpious.  Now, it is approaching a much brighter "star-like" object, being Venus.  Take a look here, with a zoom-out, the ecliptic, and the Moon's image.  Nearby Antares is 11º separated from the Moon, after being about 5º separated at best, about 18 hours ago and seen that way in far-east countries.  Although we didn't have that opportunity, we will have some as Antares appears higher in the sky about four minutes earlier each morning and the Moon cycles around the sky every few weeks.  Getting back to Venus, it still appears bright, although well past greatest elongation now.

Take a look at the planet's position in the sky during twilight, with the still waxing-crescent Moon see to its upper-right.

click on image to enlarge: courtesy of Starry Night Pro Plus, version 6.4.3, by Simulation Curriculum Corp.

Detailed

   Venus has been in our morning skies since early June, following the last-of-the-century transit of the Sun.  We continue to have it with us lower each day in the east, as it approaches superior conjunction in about two months.  Although the geometry of this part of the sy is worsening quickly between now and then, we can still witness the Moon passing by it and making some good pairs; none will be too close however, since the Moon's orbit puts it further north of Venus.  When we get Venus back in our evening sky later this year, we will have a chance to see more pairings with the Moon: some close, some not so much so, depending on what month we are talking about, and now far each body is from the nodes between the orbits.  One of the more impressive pairings of the two happened about a month ago, when they formed a trio with dimmer Mercury; revisit this entry for a reminder of that, as the grouping was more impressive than most duos of the Moon and Venus alone.  Then again, that is my opinion!  If you want to make your own, try to view at the right time, and decide which pairing of the Moon and Venus you like best: as a very thin crescent, or a thicker one.