Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2020 May 21

                               Phases of Venus
                   Image Credit & Copyright: Richard Addis

   Explanation: Just as the Moon goes through phases, Venus' visible
   sunlit hemisphere waxes and wanes. This composite of backyard
   telescopic images illustrates the steady changes for Venus during its
   current stint as our evening star, as the inner planet grows larger but
   narrows to a thin crescent. Images from bottom to top were taken during
   2020 on dates February 27, March 20, April 14, April 24, May 8, and May
   14. Gliding along its interior orbit between Earth and Sun, Venus grows
   larger during that period because it is approaching planet Earth. Its
   crescent narrows, though, as Venus swings closer to our line-of-sight
   to the Sun. Closest to the Earth-Sun line but passing about 1/2 degree
   north of the Sun on June 3, Venus will reach a (non-judgmental)
   inferior conjunction. Soon after, Venus will shine clearly above the
   eastern horizon in predawn skies as planet Earth's morning star. After
   sunset tonight look for Venus above the western horizon and you can
   also spot elusive innermost planet Mercury.

                      Tomorrow's picture: South Carina
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
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