The three brightest objects in the night sky -- Venus, Jupiter and a crescent moon -- crowded around each other for an unusual group shot on Monday night. Beginning Thanksgiving evening, Jupiter and Venus began moving closer so that by Sunday and Monday, they appeared two degrees apart, which is about a finger width held out at arm's length, said Alan MacRobert, senior editor at Sky and Telescope magazine. Then on Monday night, they were joined by a crescent moon right next to them.
The three celestial objects come together from time to time, but often they are too close to the sun or unite at a time when they aren't so visible. The next time the three will be as close and visible as this week will be Nov. 18, 2052, according to Jack Horkheimer, director of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium. -- associated press (9 images)
The three celestial objects come together from time to time, but often they are too close to the sun or unite at a time when they aren't so visible. The next time the three will be as close and visible as this week will be Nov. 18, 2052, according to Jack Horkheimer, director of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium. -- associated press (9 images)
A jet streaks across the night sky as it comes in for a landing at Charlotte / Douglas International Airport Monday, Dec. 1, in Charlotte, N. C. Venus, bottom, and Jupiter, lower right, which for weeks have been edging closer to each other in the southwestern sky, are joined by a crescent moon. MCT / Charlotte Observer / Todd Sumlin
The crescent moon is accompanied by planets Venus, bottom, and Jupiter, right, as evening sky clouds stream by the trio in this 15-second time exposure made from Stedman, N.C. Monday night, Dec. 1, using a telephoto lens. The striking grouping was widely observed from the eastern US. Earlier in the day observers in England saw the moon completely cover Venus. AP / The Fayetteville Observer / Johnny Horne
A crescent moon is seen in a rare alignment with the planets Jupiter (R and Venus (L over Beirut's landmark Mohammed al-Amin mosque on Dec. 1. AFP / Getty Images / Anwar Amro
A planetary conjunction of the waxing crescent moon is accompanied by planets Venus, center-bottom, and Jupiter, right, above an American flag on the construction tower at the East Texas Medical Center in Tyler, Texas on Monday, Dec. 1. AP / Dr. Scott M. Lieberman
The moon, left, Venus, lower center, and Jupiter are in conjunction on Monday night around 6 p.m. looking out over the ocean from Fred Hess park in Rancho Palos Verdes. AP / Daily Breeze / Chuck Bennett
This photo taken on Dec. 1, in Nice, southern France, shows the moon's shadow falling on the planet Venus. The lunar cover-up is similar to a solar eclipse except that it is Venus being hidden instead of the Sun. AFP / Getty Images / Valery Hache
This picture taken from Rome on Dec. 1, shows a slender crescent of the moon, left, with Venus, top right. The moon is passing on Dec. 1, in front of Venus and will appear close to the other brightest planet in our sky, Jupiter, in a phenomenon that astronomers refer as an "occultation". AFP / Getty Images / Christophe Simon
A rare positioning of planets Venus, top left, and Jupiter, top right, and the crescent moon of the Earth, provides a "smiley" effect that captivated Asia Monday night. AP / Bullit Marquez
Cars drive underneath a crescent moon that is accompanied by planets Venus, bottom, and Jupiter, right, on Monday, Dec. 1, along Wyatt Earp Blouveard in Dodge City, Kan. AP / Dodge City Daily Globe / Mark Vierthaler
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