Venus and Jupiter drawing close after sunset
5 comments Print Me Email to FriendTonight is Saturday, Nov 15 2008
Here are the two brightest planets – Venus and Jupiter – now both in the sky after sunset. They will draw closer as this month progresses. If you see only one sky event this month, it should be this one: the coming together on the sky’s dome of the two brightest planets.
Venus is the planet nearest the sunset now, and it’s the first planet to follow the sun below the western horizon. Venus is also the brighter planet, but Jupiter – to the left of Venus on the sky’s dome – is very bright as well. Of all the objects in the night sky, only the moon outshines Venus and Jupiter. The moon is elsewhere in the sky on November 15, but by this month’s end, a slim waxing crescent moon will be back in the evening sky, near Venus and Jupiter. By then, these two worlds will be very close indeed – twin beacons shining in the evening twilight.
It’s a shame that autumn is the worst time of year for seeing planets in this part of the sky. The autumn months can be cloudy for one thing, but the celestial sphere itself isn’t cooperative either. The ecliptic – or path of the sun, moon and planets – makes a narrow angle with the evening horizon at this time of year. So instead of being high above the sunset, the planets are to one side of the sunset, sometimes obscured in low clouds.
Still, these are the two brightest planets, after all, and nothing can diminish the beauty of their appearing side by side. Watch as this month passes, and they draw close.
It would be greatly appreciated if you would inform us from where the observation could be seen. As a new comer to the stars I get a little confused as to what I am looking at and as I live in the northern hemisphere i.e. England It would help. Are there any views that I could look at to see the Space Lab
It would be greatly appreciated if you would inform us from where the observation could be seen. As a new comer to the stars I get a little confused as to what I am looking at and as I live in the northern hemisphere i.e. England It would help. Are there any views that I could look at to see the Space Lab
walk outside
walk outside
To: Dave Hermann
Hi Dave,
The place to be is a location that allows you to view the western horizon, i.e. where the sun sets.
As per the info above – Soon after the sun sets as the sky starts to darken you should be able to see two bright stars near the horizon. The brightest is Venus and the the second brightest is Jupiter.
As for looking at the space lab i guess you mean the International Space Station. An excellant website is available to internationals like yourself and myself at NASA’s Space Station website – http://www.nasa.gov/topics/shuttle_station/index.html
‘see the station in the sky’