Hey Space Placers!
Get out at sunset on the 5th to see the brilliant planet Venus and the crescent Moon in the western sky. Venus is at its greatest brilliance and height in the sky for the season and if you have a dark sky site you can see shadows cast by Venus on freshly fallen snow. I was able to see shadows cast by Venus on the ship in the dark Atlantic.
The crescent Moon will be a treat as it will have earthshine present - the illumination of the dark side of the Moon caused by the reflection of sunlight off of our planet's oceans and clouds. Binoculars and a telescope can enhance the view of the earthshine greatly - even to the point where lunar features are easily visible.
Try your hand at taking a picture of these two in the sky. Mount your digital camera on a tripod or steady surface and try taking a 1 second exposure at ISO 200. Adjust accordingly to get that perfect shot.
Enjoy this pretty sky sight as we head into the holiday season.
Sky Guy in VA
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