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Brilliant Venus and Saturn shine from the southwestern sky during early evening twilight as seen from the Chicago area. (Click the image to see it larger.) This evening Venus passes 1.5 degrees above Spica, which is difficult to locate in the image. Saturn is about 14 degrees to the upper left of Venus. Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali (Scorpius) appear to the left of Saturn. Watch the planets move closer during this month. Events to follow in the early evening sky this month:
- Moon and Venus, September 8
- Moon and Saturn, September 9
- Venus and Saturn, September 19
- Venus and Zubenelgenubi, September 23
(Two airplanes appear in the time exposure above. When the wind direction is from the northeast, the O’Hare approach pattern is from the southwest. Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between the airplanes’ lights and Venus.)