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Credit & Copyright: Luca Bartek
Explanation:
Early risers around planet
Earth have enjoyed
a shining crescent Moon near brilliant Venus,
close to the eastern horizon in recent morning twilight skies.
And yesterday, on September 19,
skygazers watching from some locations in
Earth's northern hemisphere were also able to witness
Venus, in the inner planet's waxing
gibbous phase,
pass behind the Moon's
waning crescent.
In fact,
this telescopic snapshot
was taken moments before
that occultation
of gibbous Venus by the crescent Moon began.
The close-up view of the beautiful celestial alignment
records Venus approaching part of the Moon's sunlit edge
in clear daytime skies from the Swiss Alps.
Tomorrow,
the Sun will pass behind a New Moon.
But to witness that partial solar eclipse on September 21, skygazers will
need to watch
from locations in planet Earth's southern hemisphere.
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NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day