Monday, February 28, 2011

Catch Venus in the daytime


People sometimes ask me, "Why can't we see the stars in the daytime?" The short answer is that the bright blue daylight sky is simply brighter than the stars. However, there are a few stars and planets that are bright enough to overcome the daylight. The most prominent is Venus, which is now well placed for a morning viewing.

Actually, tomorrow morning, March 1st, at 9:00am is a good time to try and catch Venus. I was going to write all about it, but I just noticed a great write-up at the new Astronomy Israel site.

I tried to spy Venus this morning when I got to work. The sky was a bit hazy, but still clear enough for me to easily find the crescent moon, high in the southern sky. But even with my binoculars, I could not find Venus in the haze, hiding a few degrees away. Maybe you will have better luck tomorrow?