A crescent moon shines in the morning sky with Venus. Castor and Pollux, the Gemini Twins, are nearby.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Brilliant morning star Venus and the crescent moon shine from the eastern sky this morning. The moon is only 9% illuminated.
The moon is about 12° to the lower left of the brilliant planet.
Venus and the moon are in front of the stars of Gemini. The moon is 6.6° to the right of Pollux. Venus is 1.2° to the lower left of Nu Geminorum (η Gem on the photo).
This evening, locate Jupiter and Saturn in the southeastern sky after sunset.
The first sightings of Sirius by the unaided eye occur are occurring this morning 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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