A dazzling celestial sight just after sunset today: Venus and the moon
Blur Revision Media Design's Chris Spiegel captured the celestial sight from Ocean Grove.
Did you happen to notice that little dot near the crescent moon just after sunset today?
Emerging out of the Lincoln Tunnel at that time — following a day spent wandering around (and boating) in Central Park — that little dot in the western sky distracted me momentarily, swerving just enough to be admonished by my girlfriend.
“Please google ‘moon tonight,'” I asked. “There’s something happening.”
It turns out that I was right.
The reason? From Space.com:
The planet Venus, which has been languishing low in the dusk all summer, at last manages to stay above the west-southwest horizon as late as the end of evening twilight. About 45 minutes after sunset on Sunday (Sept. 8), look toward the west-southwest horizon to see Venus hovering rather close to a waxing crescent moon — an eye-catching tableau in spite of the pair’s low altitude in the night sky.
If you missed it, don’t fret; you’ll have another chance — “albeit much wider,” according to Space.com — on October 8.
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