August 2024: Venus makes its first appearance in the western sky after nightfall. It is visible in bright evening twilight through a binocular.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
August: Venus Evening Star
After its solar conjunction on June 4th, brilliant Venus begins its appearance in the western sky as the Evening Star.
The planet’s visibility suffers from our poor view of the solar system near the sun after nightfall at this season. While Venus separates from bright twilight, it remains low in the sky, appearing farther southward from week to week. It does not climb higher or set later until after its passing in front of Sagittarius’ background stars during early November.
On the 1st, Venus sets 50 minutes after nightfall, gaining only eight minutes of setting time compared to sunset during the month. In comparison, twilight’s length shrinks 15 minutes, placing the planet slightly higher in a darkening sky. It is still challenging to see.
At 30 minutes after sundown, use a binocular to see the planet about 5° above the western horizon. Under exceptional conditions, the Evening Star is visible to the unaided eye. It is the third brightest regular body, after the sun and moon, in the sky and it can be seen during the daytime.
Venus and Crescent Moon
Perhaps the best night to see Venus is on the evening of the 5th, when the crescent moon, 2% illuminated, is 0.9° above the brilliant planet. If the sky is exceptionally clear during the day, find the moon, to the sun’s east or left, and look for Venus nearby.
Venus-Saturn Opposition
On the 18th, Saturn rises as Venus sets. They are 180° apart in the sky, a planet-to-planet opposition. During the evening, this signals the date when the pair appears in the sky in the same time. Their simultaneous presence in the evening sky, Venus in the west and Saturn in the east, becomes obvious during the next several weeks when Venus sets later. While it is brighter than most stars in the sky, Saturn is washed out by the light of early evening twilight.
Find a clear horizon to view Venus during the month. A natural horizon, such as that viewed from across a body of water, helps with the view. An elevated structure or a hilltop provide ideal views of a natural horizon.
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