This morning, as the first light of dawn spread across the eastern horizon, Venus and Jupiter were paired in the southeastern sky. They have been "approaching" one another in the morning sky for the past week and will now gradually separate as the month progresses.
Venus, much brighter from our vantage point, will slowly sink toward the eastern horizon while Jupiter will move higher in the morning sky. The "conjunction" of our two brightest neighbors was closest yesterday morning but clouds obscured the spectacle along the Colorado Front Range.
Such astronomical events, while inspiring to observe, are deceptive, a mere product of our vantage point here on Earth; Venus and Jupiter remain as far apart as usual. Nevertheless, we humans have long been fascinated by the movement of heavenly bodies and look for some mystical significance when they pass in the night.
Venus, much brighter from our vantage point, will slowly sink toward the eastern horizon while Jupiter will move higher in the morning sky. The "conjunction" of our two brightest neighbors was closest yesterday morning but clouds obscured the spectacle along the Colorado Front Range.
Such astronomical events, while inspiring to observe, are deceptive, a mere product of our vantage point here on Earth; Venus and Jupiter remain as far apart as usual. Nevertheless, we humans have long been fascinated by the movement of heavenly bodies and look for some mystical significance when they pass in the night.
