Look Up this Sunday in the Early Evening!

                 Beautiful Sight in the Early Evening Sky

     On Sunday evening, September 8, there will be a beautiful meeting of celestial object in the western sky shortly after sunset.  The thin crescent moon will appear only about two finger-widths away from the very bright planet Venus, with Saturn shining about a hand-width to the upper left.  To the unaided eye, Saturn looks like a medium-bright star.
     Nothing shines brighter in the sky at any time of the year than Venus, except for the sun and moon, so this meeting of Venus and the moon will be easily seen with the unaided eye–and at a convenient hour!
     The bright orange star Arcturus will be seen shining brightly about two hand-widths to the upper right of Venus.  Arcturus is one of the two brightest stars of summer and can be found by following the curved handle of the Big Dipper southward, “Arc to Arcturus.”
      Look toward the west at about 8:15-8:30 p.m.  If you go out too early, the bright twilight will make it hard to see this conjunction (as astronomers call it); if you go out too late these objects may have set.
     On the following evening, Monday, September 9, again at about 8:15-8:30 p.m., the slightly larger waxing crescent moon will be fairly close to Saturn, with Venus a hand-width below, another very pretty sight.
     For the rest of September watch as Venus and Saturn dance.  Venus will be slowing moving eastward and upward, and Saturn will be slowly moving westward and downward; Venus and Saturn will appear side-by-side the last week of September.  Shortly after that Saturn will be lost in the evening twilight, but Venus will continue to dominate the summer and fall evening skies with its brilliance until December.
                   John Charlesworth
                   Professor of Physical Sciences
                   Napa Valley College