2021, January 11: Morning Star Venus, Crescent Moon

January 11, 2021:  During bright twilight, the razor-thin crescent moon joins Venus in the southeast.

by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Chicago, Illinois:  Sunrise, 7:17 a.m. CST; Sunset, 4:41 p.m. CST.  Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times for your location.

Find a clear horizon toward the southeast.  About 30 minutes before sunrise, the razor-thin crescent moon, that is 3% illuminated, is 3.9° to the right of brilliant Venus.  Because of the brightness of the sky, use a binocular to initially locate the lunar crescent and Venus.

This is the final visible grouping of Venus and the moon during this morning appearance of the brilliant planet.

Venus reaches its superior conjunction with the sun during late March.  It then appears later during the spring in the evening sky.

Read about Venus during January.

At superior conjunction, either Mercury or Venus is “behind” the sun.  Not literally, but it is spaced so that the sun is between that planet and Earth.  Usually difficult to see and not a good target for the sun’s intensity can damage a mis-aimed telescope.

Detailed Note: Thirty minutes before sunrise, locate a clear horizon to observe the final visible grouping of the moon and Venus during this Venusian apparition.  The moon (27.8d, 3%) is 3.9° to the right of the brilliant planet.

Read more about the planets during January.