This evening (Friday 27 February 2009) those with clear skies after sunset will be able to see another wonderful conjunction between the crescent Moon and Venus. Today's conjunction is quite special because Venus is at maximum brightness: magnitude -4.6. The planet is twenty times brighter than Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. It is so luminous that it can actually shine through thin clouds and cast subtle shadows on the ground.
Click here to see photos from the 1 December 2008 conjunction.
International Year of Astronomy, Ireland National Node