Venus has its brightest night of the year
" Venus is a dazzler in western skies after sunset and this weekend, the planet is about as bright as it can get.
Venus is an unusually bright evening star this month because it's swinging toward Earth in its orbit: That means its apparent size is increasing, and it's still at an angle that reflects a healthy fraction of the sun's rays. EarthSky's Bruce McClure lays out the geometry behind Venus' greatest illuminated extent. Don't wait too long: Every night, Venus will be lower in the sky when the sun sets, and by January it'll be lost in the sun's glare.
Astrophotographer Brad Goldpaint took advantage of Thursday's Venus-moon conjunction to snap a lovely picture of the celestial lights, framed by a natural arch in Nevada's Valley of Fire. Despite the chilly evening temperatures, "it was an amazing experience to witness in clear skies," he said. If you look closely, you might be able to spot the glow of Las Vegas' Luxor Hotel and Casino rising up from the horizon within the arch, Goldpaint said. "
http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/12/06/21795799-venus-has-its-brightest-night-of-the-year?lite
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Wow...how spectacular Thursday night must have been for those viewers to see Venus look so large. Looking through the hole is equally impressive. (is that a face and body I see in the rock formation...as well as a hand to the left?) I'm a huge fan of the evening and night views, so this easily caught my attention.
So long as that bright spot is Venus and not some local star (within our galaxy) going supernova, it is beautiful.
Oh, I agree! ..Truly beautiful..
Thank you, Gunny! To see Venus look like a planet, not just a twinkle, without a scope is spectacular imo.