September Night Skies

Technically this is a morning sky viewing opportunity; something I've had the opportunity to indulge since the arrival of our puppy last month.

If you happen to be an early riser for any reason, even if you have to get out of bed to pee, this is worth a look.  The planet Venus in the east before sunrise.  This Morning Star can be viewed with an unaided eye into the morning twilight before sunrise.

She's been there awhile and virtually impossible to miss.  Our early morning view of Venus is only getting better because this very bright planet is going to become brighter as it reaches the height of brilliance the morning of September 19. This is a consequence of the the greatest portion of the planet will be lighted with reflected sunlight.  Enjoy this opportunity while it lasts as with the passing of time Venus will transition to its position in the evening sky.

In case you're wondering why planet Venus appears as the brightest star in the morning horizon it is because of phenomenon known as a Superior Conjunction.  Commit this Word Of The Day to memory as there may be an exam.  I digress.

A superior conjunction occurs when the earth and a planet are on opposite sides of the sun and all three bodies are aligned in nearly a straight line.  Referring to the diagram (below) when Venus is located at the far side of its orbit from us it is behind the sun when viewed from earth.  When that happens its daylight side faces us directly.  The last time a superior conjunction occurred was October 22, 2022.  It will not happen again until. June 4, 2024.

Fingers-crossed for clear morning skies.  Bundle-up and enjoy the show while you can.

Cheers!

Adapted from an image by NASA/ Chmee2/ Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY-SA 3.0