Today's Image

Young moon and Venus: Favorite photos

View many more moon and Venus photos at EarthSky Community Photos.

Mosaic of 4 images showing the west after sunset with moon and Venus in different locations above a dark hill.
View larger at EarthSky Community Photos. | Peter Lowenstein wrote from Mutare, Zimbabwe: “During the past week Venus has been at maximum brightness, the star Aldebaran and the Pleiades star cluster have been joined by the young moon. The moon appeared close to the horizon an hour after sunset on April 24 and has risen higher in the evening sky each day since then. This spectacular mosaic – which contains pictures taken at about a quarter past six each evening on April 20 [top left], 24 [top right], 25 [bottom left] and 26 [bottom right] – shows this happening in a sky tinted magenta to purple by the presence of stratospheric aerosols reflecting late sunset twilight glow. A rare combination of celestial beauty!” Thank you, Peter!
Crescent moon, a fainter star and a bright planet.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Eliot Herman in Tucson, Arizona, caught the celestial triangle of the crescent moon, planet Venus and star Elnath in the constellation Taurus the Bull on April 26, 2020. He wrote: “It was a pretty evening here, just as Bruce stated in his Tonight.” Thank you, Eliot!
Orange crescent moon behind ancient pointy towers at night.
View larger at EarthSky Community Photos. | The young moon sets over Prague, Czech Republic, in this photo by John Laing, taken April 26, 2020. John wrote: “Waxing moon setting over Prague Castle – construction started in the 9th century … completed in 1929.” Thank you, John!
Crescent moon with two bright dots next to tall silhouetted evergreen tree.
View larger at EarthSky Community Photos. | Dr Ski in Valencia, Philippines, captured the young moon between a planet and a star on April 26. He wrote: “The waxing crescent moon is between Aldebaran and Venus tonight.” Thank you, Dr Ski.
Crescent moon and Venus against a blue sky with pink clouds.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Dr Ski in Valencia, Philippines, captured this image during the day, at around 2:30 in the afternoon on April 26, 2020. He wrote: “The 3 day old crescent moon transits the meridian with Venus in tow. Finding Venus in the daytime is easier when the moon is nearby. The 9% crescent is 25 times brighter than Venus. They are 8° apart in this image.” Thank you, Dr Ski.
Blue daytime sky, with clouds, with stars showing up behind the clouds, and also the moon and Venus.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Frank Lu in Arlington, Texas, caught thin clouds – and stars, the moon and a planet behind the clouds – in this 10-second exposure on April 25, 2020. He wrote: “The long exposure reveals a rush of clouds against the fixed universe, highlighted by the crescent moon and Venus. Also clearly visible is the belt of Orion and various prominent stars.” Thank you, Frank.
Moon crescent with rest of it dimly visible next to small dot labeled Aldebaran.
View larger at EarthSky Community Photos. | Idriss Dhoparee caught the young moon with earthshine on April 25, 2020, from London, England. Idriss wrote: “Beautiful clear sky – earthshine moon and Aldebaran in conjunction.” Thank you, Idriss.
Waxing crescent moon and Venus above a house's tiled rooftop.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Astrophotographer Riste Spiroski of the Ohrid Astronomy Association in Ohrid, North Macedonia, said he caught the April 24, 2020, waxing crescent moon and Venus from his balcony. Thank you, Riste!
Five images of waxing crescent moon in a near-vertical row, above a mountain ridgeline.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Fred Espenak captured the moon on April 24 and wrote: “The 2-day old crescent moon illuminated in Earthshine made a compelling sight as it set over Limestone Mountain (Portal, AZ). This time lapse captured the setting moon every 2.25 minutes.” Thank you, Fred.
Thin crescent of young moon against an orange sky above a dark building.
Helio Vital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, caught the very slender young moon in a bright twilight sky on April 24, 2020. Thank you, Helio.
Thin crescent moon in sky fading from pink below to blue, above buildings and trees.
View larger at EarthSky Community Photos. | Idriss Dhoparee caught the young moon from London, England, April 24, 2020. Idriss wrote: “Waxing crescent moon at 2.5% illumination. Rare catch considering the not so brilliant UK weather most of the time. We have had a long spell of sunshine. This moon in Islamic calender is the Ramadan, heralding a month of fasting.”
Thin yellow crescent on black background.
View larger at EarthSky Community Photos. | Chuck Reinhart in Vincennes, Indiana, caught the young crescent moon on April 24, 2020. He wrote: “Shortly after sunset I was able to photograph the crescent moon. I had to act fast as the clouds were rolling in.” Thanks, Chuck.
Very thin crescent against lavender sky.
View larger at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mohamed Mohamed of Tripoli, Libya, captured the very young moon on April 24, 2020. Thanks, Mohamed!
A tall palm tree with Venus just below its fronds and moon near horizon.
View larger at EarthSky Community Photos. | Kevin Rundle caught the young moon and Venus from Santee, California, on April 24, 2020, with an iPhone 7. Thanks, Kevin!
Tiny crescent moon over dark hill with bright Venus above.
View larger at EarthSky Community Photos. | Peter Lowenstein caught the young moon and bright Venus from Mutare, Zimbabwe, on April 24, 2020. He wrote: “Venus and Aldebaran (top) with the Pleiades and young moon setting below at 6.15 pm. On Friday evening clear visibility and a cloudless sky promised to provide a perfect view of the young crescent moon (only 18 hours old) setting below the local horizon to the north of Christmas Pass. However sunset at a quarter past five was followed by the development of a large sunset stratospheric aerosol twilight arch which was so bright that it prevented the thin young moon from becoming clearly visible to the naked eye for almost three quarters of an hour. This left only twenty minutes to watch it setting. Just before it did I managed to capture this splendid image with planet Venus, stars and young moon present.” Thanks, Peter!
Small white crescent in blue sky.
View larger at EarthSky Community Photos. | This is not the moon! Aurelian Neacsu zoomed in on the crescent planet Venus from Visina, Romania, on April 24. Aurelian wrote: “The brightest planet during daytime … Phase: 30%, 40 days before inferior conjunction.” Thanks, Aurelian.

Bottom line: The moon is sweeping past Venus on these late April 2020 evenings. The EarthSky Community is catching them, and sharing their photos. Thanks to all who submitted.

View many more moon and Venus photos at EarthSky Community Photos.

Posted 
April 26, 2020
 in 
Today's Image

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