Starwatch: A Venus-spottin challenge wi a bonnie reward

This week’s Starwatch is a bit o a challenge, but a bonnie reward awaits onybody that gets it richt. The question is: juist how early in the evenin can we find Venus?

On Monanday, the bricht planet haes a close encounter wi a young crescent muin. The muin will be a wee bittie ower three days auld, wi about 14% o its visible surface lit up. Unco-bad for UK observers, the twa mak their closest approach durin the day, passin within a muin-width o ilk ither roond aboot lunchtime.

By the evenin they will hae drifted apart a bittie, but they will still mak a bonnie pairin for observers wi a braw clear view towards the sooth-wast.

The chart shows the view lookin sooth-wast frae London at 6.30pm. The sun will still be abune the horizon, sae dinna use ony visual gear and avoid lookin straight at the sun wi the nakit ee.

First, look for the thinnish crescent muin, low in the sooth-wast sky. Once ye hae fund it, use it as your guide to Venus nearby. As the sun sinks lower, Venus shud become easier to see, albeit the muin and planet will be drappin towards the horizon.

Frae the soothern hemisphere, the muin and Venus are also visible thegither, appearin heigher in the evenin sky after sunset.