Brilliant planet Venus is moving through the “club” region of Orion. Tomorrow it moves into Gemini.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
On this peak Perseid meteor shower morning and the impending helical rising of Sirius, the brilliant Morning Star Venus, appears in the eastern sky.
This is the final morning that Venus is in the club area of Orion for this appearance. Venus is to the lower right of Eta Geminorum (η Gem on the photo) and Mu Geminorum (μ Gem).
In this starfield, Venus is 2.7° to the lower right of η Gem and 2.5° to the lower right of μ Gem.
Notice that Orion’s shoulders – Betelgeuse and Bellatrix – appear to the right of the Morning Star.
The planet continues to move eastward – toward the lower left on the photo.
At the beginning of the month, Venus was near Zeta Tauri (ζ Tau), that appears near the top of the image.
Venus and the crescent moon make a beautiful grouping on August 15. Get your camera ready!
Bright Mars is higher in the sky toward the south this morning.
The first sightings of Sirius by the unaided eye occur this week about 45 minutes before sunrise.
Here is a daily summary about the planets during August.
2021, October 23: Morning Moon Near Pleiades
October 23, 2021: This morning the bright moon is near the Pleiades star cluster. Mercury is making its best morning appearance. In the evening sky, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn are easy to spot.
2021, October 22, Mercury’s Morning Best, Arcturus
October 22. 2021: Speedy Mercury is low in the east before sunrise. It is putting on its best morning performance of the year. Arcturus, in the east-northeast, is about the same altitude as Mercury.
2021, October 21 – November 1: Venus Steps Through Ophiuchus
October 21-November 1, 2021: Brilliant Venus steps through Ophiuchus to the upper left of the star Antares in the southwest after sunset . Afterward, the planet steps farther eastward.
2021, October 21, Bright Morning Moon, Mercury, Evening Planet Pack
October 21, 2021: The bright moon is low in the west about an hour before sunrise. Mercury is in the east at about the same altitude as Arcturus. Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter shine from the evening sky.
2021, December 18: James Webb Space Telescope Launch
December 18, 2021: This is the anticipated launch date of the James Webb Space Telescope, the largest and most sophisticated space telescope view the universe.
Categories: Astronomy, Sky Watching
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