This appearance of Venus is finished.
Brilliant Morning Star Venus shines brightly in the morning sky during 2020 and early 2021.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Click here for our semi-technical article about the apparition of Venus during 2020-2021.
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Slideshow of Venus images
Articles:
- 2021, March 26: Venus at Superior Conjunction
- 2021, January: Venus Fades From Morning Sky
- 2020, December: Morning Star Venus in East
- 2020, November: Brilliant Morning Star Venus and Mercury
- 2020, October: Venus, Morning Star
- 2020, September: Venus Sparkles in Eastern Morning Sky
- 2020, August: Venus in Orion’s Arm and Gemini
- 2020, Venus at its Greatest Brightness
- 2020, July 19: Venus and Four Bright Morning Planets
- 2020, July: Venus Moves through Taurus
- Venus at Inferior Conjunction, June 3, 2020
- Venus as a Morning Star Diagram
- 2020, June: Venus Emerges Into the Morning Sky
Venus makes a grand entrance into the morning sky after its inferior conjunction on June 3, 2020, at 12:44 p.m. CDT. It races into the morning sky and a week after conjunction it rises at Civil Twilight, 32 minutes before sunrise. After mid-June, Venus gleams from low in the east-northeast sky during mid-twilight. By early July, Venus is at its greatest brightness, rises before the beginning of twilight, and appears higher in the sky as sunrise approaches.
During July, Venus moves through the Hyades, with an Aldebaran conjunction on July 12. Watch the planet move through the star cluster with a binocular, during several mornings leading up to the Venus – Aldebaran conjunction.
On July 19, the lunar crescent and five planets are simultaneously spread across the sky with Jupiter low in the western sky and Mercury low in the eastern sky. Venus, Mars, and Saturn are scattered between them.
During August, Venus leaves Taurus, passes through the club and arm area of Orion and into Gemini. On August 15, see the moon join Venus.
Other highlights of the Venus apparition include a grouping with the Beehive cluster in mid-September that includes the crescent moon on September 14; two mornings in October when Venus is about 0.5° from Regulus; a widely spaced Venus – Spica conjunction during mid-November; and an extremely close conjunction with Beta Scorpii in December. Mercury makes an appearance during November, but the gaps with Venus are very wide. At the end of the apparition, Venus passes Mercury, Saturn, and Jupiter. Although they are near the sun, attempt to view the Venus – Jupiter Epoch (close) Conjunction during the day.
Venus reaches its superior conjunction on March 26, 2021, then slowly moves into the evening sky.
Recent Venus Articles
2021, October 8: Venus, Moon Group With Scorpion
October 8, 2021: The crescent moon approaches Venus in the western sky this evening, leading up to tomorrow’s close grouping of Venus, the crescent moon, and the three stars of the Scorpion’s head.
2021, October 7: Evening Crescent, Planet Pack
October 7, 2021: The lunar crescent returns to the evening sky for a short visit in the western sky after sunset. The bright planet pack – Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn – are visible during the early evening.
2021, October – December: Mars Conjunction, Return to Morning Sky
Mars is at its solar conjunction on October 7, 2021. It begins a slow return into the morning sky. By year’s end it appears low in the southeastern sky with the moon.
2021, October 6: New Moon, Evening Planet Pack
October 6, 2021: The moon is at its New moon phase today. This evening look for the three bright planets after sunset.
2021, October 5: Skinny Moon, Evening Planet Pack
October 5, 2021: Before sunrise, a very thin moon is visible in the eastern sky. The evening planet pack – Evening Star Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn – are visible at the same time after sundown.
2021, October 29: Equal Daylight, Equal Darkness
October 29, 2021: Today is the date for equal daylight and equal darkness for about 42° north latitude. This is not to be confused with the autumnal equinox.
2021, October 4: Thin Morning Moon
October 4, 2021: Before sunrise, the razor-thin lunar crescent is low in the eastern sky.
2021, October 3: Lunar Slice, Evening Planet Pack
October 3, 2021: Before sunrise, the thin crescent moon is in the eastern sky, to the lower left of Regulus. After sunset, the planet pack – Evening Star Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn – shine brightly.
Categories: Astronomy, Jeffsfavs, Sky Watching
This viewer observes a very brilliant morning star, Venus, at approximately 05:30 AM eastern daylight time from his home in the northern Virginia county of Fauquier.