Moon near Venus, the 'upside down' world
24 comments Print Me Email to FriendTonight is Thursday, Jan 01 2009
Yesterday, the moon and the blazing planet Venus paired up for New Year’s Eve. This evening, the moon – which is now a waxing crescent – shines to the upper left of Venus. To the lower right of the moon and Venus, you might be able to catch the planets Jupiter and Mercury near the horizon some 45 to 60 minutes after sunset.
Venus is the second planet in orbit outward from the sun. Earth is the third planet. All the planets are unique, and Venus is an oddity in the respect that the sun rises in the west and sets in the east as seen from the cloudtops of this world (one cannot see the sun from the surface of Venus – the clouds are too thick). Once upon a time, the sun might have actually risen in the east and set in the west as seen from Venus. Some astronomers think a large body impacted Venus, causing this planet to flip upside down. Venus’ southern axis – the axis that rotates clockwise – became its northern axis, and that’s why this world now rotates backwards.
What would happen to Earth, if our planet flipped upside down? Let’s say the Earth’s southern axis – the axis that rotates clockwise – all of a sudden pointed to Polaris, the North Star? Would the sun still rise first over the Atlantic Coast and set last over the Pacific Coast?
Use the globe to see if you can come up with an answer!
I LOVE GOD IN ERATH TO GOD FROM DACIA ROWE
My husband just got a new telescope and this site is so AWESOME!!!!
Love it! :)
I came to this site to understand what star we were seeing 2 nights ago from Cary, NC. Its was about 8pm and the star was very bright but it was not like your drawing on the page I am looking at. You show Venus at the moon’s 4 oclock position. This star was at the 8 oclock position. What was this?
Thanks
Paul
Paul,
The moon doesn’t stay in the same place relative to the planets and stars from night to night. If you want to see past EarthSky Tonight programs, go to the EarthSky Tonight Archive at the top right of this page. I presume you want to look at the chart for the evening of December 31, 2008, which can be found on the December 31 EarthSky Tonight show Moon and Venus couple up on New Year’s Eve.
Bruce
Is there any footage online of venus and mercury aligning with the moon on NYE???
thanks!
Did anyone see the moon on 1/2/09 at about 11PM? We live in SW Kansas and while driving home (heading West) the bottom half of the moon was shining! Not the sides – the bottom!
I’ve never seen that before and haven’t seen anything about it on the web. What’s up with that?
In reference to Paul’s comment Jan. 2: I to have been watching the “new” star in the southern sky. It is only visible from about 6 PM until 8:30 PM here in Savannah, GA. I too, would like to know what this celestial brilliance is! Anyone know?
Caroline,
Is it possible that this star is somewhat west of south at early evening? The January 14 EarthSky Tonight chart shows two brightest lights in your southwest sky: the blazing planet Venus and the fainter star Fomalhaut. After Venus sets, the bright star Canopus rises into your south-southeast sky. For more, read the upcoming February EarthSky Tonight program For those at southerly latitudes, Canopus!
Bruce
Caroline,
I just returned from my cross-country ski adventure. The extra oxygen must have helped me out, because it dawned upon me what the mystery star must be. Does this bright star just barely clear the southern horizon in Savannah, GA? If so, it’s probably Achernar! Here’s the upcoming EarthSky Tonight program Achernar, the end of the River. Achernar is much brighter than shown on the sky chart. We’ll have to correct that.
My apologies for overlooking Achernar in the first place!
Bruce
Hello,
What is the extremely bright “star” or planet, in the western sky (8:18pm, Fri, Jan 16, 2009)?
I can only think it may be Venus (based on the few websites that I have visited). I have seen this same extremely bright and big “star” in the Northern Sky, but only 2 or 3 times perhaps a year ago.
(not too far out of atlanta, ga)
W,
That brilliant starlike object in the southwest sky at early evening and low in the western sky at mid-evening is the planet Venus. It’s the brightest celestial object in all the heavens, if you exclude the sun and moon. Because Venus is an inferior planet – a planet whose orbit is inside of Earth’s orbit – this world can only be seen in the western sky after sunset or in the eastern sky before sunrise.
Bruce
This is Monday, January 26. I went out to feed my caged birds
about 7:30 P.M. tonight and happened to look up into the sky…
south and slightly west. There was this brilliant object….almost elongated, definitely not round. Just to the
right of the object was an even more brilliant object, like a
gigantic muti-dimentional snowflake (reminded me of an enormous
Christmas ornaments) blazing away, radiating dazzling light
all about it. I called my husband to come out and look and verify
that I was seeing what I thought I was seeing and hadn’t gone
quite daft. He saw the same thing. It was there for over an
hour until the sky became quite cloudy. Was this Venus?
totally confused!! I can see a bright star or planet in the western sky it is so bright it looks out of place is it venus? I am just learning about astronomy, I enjoy it but the explanations sometimes can be a bit overwhelming! it is visible from early evening throught the night.please help, I am getting a bit worried that it is something that is heading towards us!!lol
comment 13 is exactly the same thing I am seeing,it isnt round more peanut shaped like eros thats why I started to think is it something other than a star or planet, rest assured I can see it too and I live in Manchester, England! I have asked everyone I know to have a look for it we have searched the internet and still cannot find out exactly what this is, I do hope you can help.thanks
Patricia and Karen,
Venus ranks as the most brilliant celestial object to light the sky after the sun and the moon. This dazzling world is found in the southwest at dusk and early evening. By mid-evening, Venus sits low in the west, and sets shortly thereafter. To verify that you’re looking at Venus, look for the waxing crescent moon near Venus on Thursday and Friday evenings (Jan. 29 & 30).
I send you a preview of our January 29 EarthSky Tonight:
What’s the direction of the moon’s orbit?
Thank you Bruce, this website has been added to my favourites. I cannot believe how quickly you responded to the question!I am just starting out as an amateur astronomer and dont really know where to start other than a few books and the internet but you cannot beat getting instant feedback!! thank you once again, karen
Bruce,
Thank you for your wonderful site!
I have been thinking that the bright star I’ve been seeing in the early evenings near the moon was Venus, but just hadn’t found the right site to confirm this till now. :) I’m in WA state near the ID and OR borders. In the fall of ’08 there was another star that seemed to line up with Venus and the moon, any clue as to what that might have been? (silly me, of course you probably do!) Sorry I don’t have any more specifics.
Thanks again for your helpful information!!!
Becky
Becky,
Yes, you are right! In late November and early December 2008, the planet Jupiter was nearby the moon and Venus! I send you our past December 1 EarthSky Tonight program on the moon, Venus and Jupiter:
Celestial trio in December 1 twilight
Bruce
Thank you very much Bruce! I enjoyed the Celestial Trio in December 1 Twilight article. That gave me some great info. I then went on to your meteor shower page……another great lot of information! Thanks again to you and all those who contribute to this forum! :D
I am not astronomer so don’t know these things – just enjoy seeing the beauty of the night sky at times. I did check out the three jupiter, venue, and the moon as per our weatherman here in Houston, Texas, a few weeks back and thought it beautiful. They are supposed to be gone by now – BUT – went out night before last and saw an extremely large bright stationery light in the southwestern sky. Is that still Venus? If so it is bigger and brighter than I’ve seen. I live in the city and am so glad to see this – but let me know if what I am seeing is Venus and how long will I be able to see it??
Per my (annie dee) comment 22 – By the way the moon isn’t beside it. When I look up the moon is at my back and the bright object is in the southwestern sky – all alone just sitting there – around 8:00 PM ….
annie dee,
The sky chart showing the moon and Venus is for January 1, 2009. Yes, Venus still shines in your southwest evening sky, and will continue to do so till late March. The moon does not stay put relative to planets and backdrop stars. At the same time each day, the moon appears about 12 degrees east of where it did the day before. Your fist at an arm length spans about 10 degrees of sky.
Bruce
Wow!!! Clear sky this evening and you can see them (stars) all. I just love the three stars with the slight bend to them. I look for them every evening.