Have you noticed the bright star-like object in the western sky after sunset? That’s Venus, and it’s about to shine even brighter tonight, May 18, when a thin crescent moon joins it, only 2.1 days past the new moon.
Whenever Venus and the moon align, they turn heads, even if they’re not too close. You can measure the distance between them: if you hold your clenched fist at arm’s length, it covers about 10 degrees of the sky. Tonight, the moon will be about 3 degrees, or one-third of a fist, to the right of Venus.
Curious about which is brighter? Many might guess Venus because it looks like a sharp point of light. However, the crescent moon outshines it. Venus has a brightness of -4.0 magnitude, while the crescent moon boasts a dazzling -7.1, making it around 17 times brighter! This might surprise you, but the moon’s light is spread over a larger area, which is why it looks dimmer despite its actual brightness.
It’s important to note that the moon and Venus aren’t close in space. The moon is about 224,000 miles from Earth, while Venus is a whopping 124 million miles away. They will appear close tonight purely due to our perspective from Earth.
In May, Venus moves further from the sun, making it easier to spot in the early evening sky. By mid-June, it will be at its best visibility. Currently, it’s around 25 degrees above the horizon, glowing in the twilight.
If you’re interested in astronomy, you might want to check out how these celestial events excite people online. Social media often buzzes with posts and pictures from stargazers eager to share their views of Venus and the moon.
For astronomy enthusiasts, now is a great time to look at Venus through a telescope. Although its disk is tiny, it’s mostly illuminated, showcasing its gibbous shape.
Later tonight, Venus will set around 10:50 PM local time. As it reaches its peak visibility in June, expect to see it setting just after 11 PM.
Learn more about celestial bodies and their fascinating qualities at trusted sites like NASA and Sky and Telescope to deepen your understanding and enjoyment of the night sky.
