TRACE HERE STAR FRIENDS - WHEN LOOKING AT THE SKY# SOMETIMES WE SEE THINGS AND DON’T UNDERSTAND THEM RIGHT AWAY - THIS CAN CAUSE UFO SIGHTINGS TO# GO UP, BUT ALSO PIQUE ASTRONOMER’S CURIOSITY.

LOOKING TOWARD THE SETTING SUN THIS WEEK IT# IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS VENUS.

IT’S SO BRIGHT!

SOMETHING THAT BRIGHT, MOST WOULD ASSUME,# IS VERY CLOSE, RIGHT?

WELL, IT *AIN’T*!

WHEN VENUS IS CLOSEST, MOST OF ITS LIT FACE# IS TURNED AWAY FROM US.

WHEN IT'S FARTHER, WE SEE MORE OF IT LIT.

BUT ITS GREATEST# BRILLIANCY IS THE SWEET SPOT - WHERE SIZE AND PHASE BALANCE OUT.

THAT’S THIS WEEK.

VENUS JUST PASSED BETWEEN US AND THE SUN, CALLED AN INFERIOR CONJUNCTION.

NOW IT'S SHOWING# A HUGE CRESCENT.

THIS IS WHEN VENUS IS BRIGHTEST AND APPEARS LARGEST IN THE SKY.

WITH BINOCULARS# YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THAT CRESCENT SHAPE!

IF YOU CATCH VENUS ON SEPTEMBER 14 YOU’LL SEE A# CONJUNCTION WITH THE SLIVER OF A CRESCENT MOON.

DOUBLE CRESCENTS!

KEEP LOOKIN’ UP!