Anyone with a clear view to the western horizon on the evenings of October 5, November 4 and December 4 may wonder, “What’s that bright star by the moon?” But it isn’t a star at all, it’s the planet Venus! Venus is the brightest planet we see from Earth. The thick clouds on the closest planet to us make it especially reflective and bright. And when it pairs with a young, waxing crescent moon, it’s quite the sight!
The moon and Venus are less than five degrees apart on October 5, 2024. By November, the closest pairing of the moon and Venus is on the 4th. Once again, they’re less than five degrees apart, or the amount of space that your three middle fingers block on the sky’s dome when held at arm’s length.
In the Northern Hemisphere, because we’re headed toward the winter solstice, the sun will be setting earlier each night. So by the time Venus and the moon are close again on December 4, they’ll be up in darkness for a bit longer. You may be able to spot some of the stars of Sagittarius and the shape of the Teapot before they set below the southwestern horizon.
For a precise view from your location, visit Stellarium.
Bottom line: What’s that bright star by the moon? It’s not a star at all, it’s Venus! Venus is the brightest point of light in our night sky, and on three evenings in the fall sky, it pairs with the crescent moon after sunset. Learn more here.
Kelly Kizer Whitt is a writer and editor for EarthSky, and on YouTube she's EarthSky’s roving nature reporter. Kelly has been writing about science, with a focus on astronomy, for decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to other outlets, including AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club. She has nine published books, including a children's picture book, Solar System Forecast, and a young adult dystopian novel, A Different Sky. Kelly enjoys reading, visiting the national parks, creating crossword puzzles, running, tennis and paddleboarding.
“I can sometimes see the moon in the daytime” was a cosmic revelation that John Jardine Goss first discovered through personal observations at age 6. It shook his young concept of the universe and launched his interest in astronomy and stargazing, a fascination he still holds today. John is past president of the Astronomical League, the largest U.S. federation of astronomical societies, with over 24,000 members. He's earned the title of Master Observer and is a regular contributor to the video series, “Global Star Party.” He has authored the celestial observing guides “Exploring the Starry Realm,” and “Carpe Lunam,” and “Take Your First Steps, an Introduction to Amateur Astronomy.” John also wrote for twenty years the monthly stargazing column, Roanoke Skies, for the Roanoke Times, and currently writes a bimonthly column, Skywatch, for Blue Ridge Country magazine. He has contributed to Sky and Telescope magazine, the IDA Nightscape, the Astronomical League’s Reflector magazine, and the RASC Observer’s Handbook.
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