[Updated for 2010] What is that bright star in the West? It's not a star nor a plane ... it's VENUS! That brilliant star that shines brightly in the west after sunset for a couple hours is the closest planet to Earth.
The Evening Star
Venus is often considered the Morning Star or the Evening Star, depending on which time of day it is up and dominating the darkness. For example, from mid-February to mid-October 2010, Venus will be the most notable object in the evening sky in the west after sunset. It shines at a stunning -4 magnitude. The only natural objects in the night sky that are brighter than Venus are the Sun and the Moon (Satellites can briefly flare brighter than Venus).
Because Venus is close to Earth, it does not twinkle, as a star does. Its bright white light will hold steady, while if you compare stars in the vicinity, they "twinkle" or seem to waver and even change color.
Seeing Venus Through Binoculars
Venus goes through phases like the Moon because of its position between Earth and the Sun. When it is more of a crescent phase it is closer to us and bigger, and also its angle makes it look farther from the Sun and places it in a darker sky. For these reasons, Venus is brighter in its crescent phase than when it is near full phase! The crescent phases of Venus can be detected through binoculars or a telescope. Look for a large thin crescent at dusk in September and early October 2010.
Venus can get as bright as magnitude -4.8. During its 2010 appearance, it will reach greatest elongation, or it farthest distance from the sun as seen from Earth, on August 19, 2010. On that date, it will lie 46 degrees east of the sun. Last year, Venus, the planet named after the Goddess of Love, reached its peak of brightest just after Valentine's Day 2009. For Valentine's Day 2010, the Goddes off Love has a conjunction with a crescent moon and Jupiter. Two days later, on February 16, Venus and Jupiter are just a half degree apart at sunset. A couple of other interesting conjunctions with Venus over 2010 are as follows:
- April 3 2010 - Mercury and Venus 3 degrees apart in W-WNW after sunset
- August 7 2010 - Venus and Saturn 2.8 degrees apart in WSW-W after sunset
- August 18 2010 - Venus and Mars 1.9 degrees apart in WSW after sunset
- September 28 through October 2 2010 - Venus and Mars 6.5 degrees apart in WSW at sunset
By October 2010, Venus ends its reign with a bang. It reaches peak magnitude of -4.8 on October 1. But only 18 days later, on October 19, Venus dims to -4.3 and sets with the sun. In November 2010 it will enter the dawn sky as the "Morning Star".
Kelly Whitt - I have been a professional writer for more than a decade, covering many topics from science-based articles to do-it-yourself home ...
