Sky-event alert: Venus joins Jupiter after sunset
Published: November 25, 2008
From Astronomy magazine
WAUKESHA, Wis. — Keep your eyes on the early evening sky for the next week, and you will witness the most dramatic planetary alignment of 2008. The southwestern sky provides the stage as Venus and Jupiter — the two brightest points of light in the sky — begin their celestial dance. The two appear closest November 30, but it's worth watching for several days on either side as they make a beeline for each other and then back off.
Throughout this period, Venus appears 7 times brighter than Jupiter. Even so, Jupiter easily outshines every other starlike object in the sky. To add to the drama, a slender crescent Moon passes the planet pair after sunset December 1. "Although all three objects shine bright enough to see just 30 minutes after sunset, the scene grows more spectacular as twilight deepens," said Astronomy magazine Senior Editor Richard Talcott. The trio doesn't set until 3 hours after the Sun.
Locate the planets in your night sky with Astronomy.com's interactive star chart, StarDome.
Read the complete release, "Venus joins Jupiter after sunset."
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