With what might be last clear morning for several days as remnants of Hurricane Isaac moves north, Morning Stars Venus and Jupiter shine from the predawn eastern sky at 4:05 a.m. in this 30-second image made from the Chicago area. Both planets can be seen in the eastern sky well into bright morning twilight.
Brilliant Venus is nearing is closest approach to Pollux on September 1 when it is 9 degrees from this Gemini twin; that’s the size of your fist at arm’s length. Castor is the other bright star in Gemini appearing just above Pollux.
Planet Jupiter is higher in the sky, near Aldebaran, the bright star in Taurus. Part of the Pleiades star cluster is at the top of the image. To the left of Jupiter is Capella, the brightest in Auriga.
Watch the planetary pair in the morning sky throughout the next several months. Read more about Venus as a Morning Star. For our monthly sky watching posting, click here. (Click the image to see it larger.)
I am writing from Southern Manitoba, Canada (near Winnipeg) on the morning of August 30, 2012. It is 5:20 am and Venus is massive in the eastern sky. I’ve never seen this planet so huge. Ever.
It is very bright although it was brighter several weeks ago. It is easy to describe it as large, although it is not large like the moon. It is starlike, yet very bright.