The bright morning star Venus sits near the Beehive Cluster in Cancer this morning, rising more than two hours before the Sun.
By Aug. 31, Venus has moved into Cancer and rises together with M44 in the morning sky. Binoculars will show the pairing best. Credit: Astronomy: Roen Kelly
- The planet Venus (magnitude -3.9) is in close proximity (1.4° southwest) to the Beehive Cluster (M44, magnitude 3.1) in the constellation Cancer, observable in the pre-dawn eastern sky.
- While M44 is visible to the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope are recommended for optimal viewing due to its low altitude and approaching twilight.
- Telescopic observation of Venus reveals a gibbous disk (12” wide, 84% illuminated), reflecting sunlight from its cloud tops composed of carbon dioxide, resulting in a significant greenhouse effect.
- Sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset times, and moon phase (54% waxing gibbous) are provided for a specific location (40° N 90° W).
Bright Venus hangs near the lovely Beehive Cluster (M44) in Cancer this morning. Both rise more than two hours before the Sun and reach nearly 20° high in the east an hour before sunrise. Venus shines at magnitude –3.9, a blazing beacon just 1.4° southwest (to the upper right) of the Beehive.
At magnitude 3.1, M44 is visible to the naked eye, although viewing it this way while it’s low in the sky and twilight is approaching will be difficult. Instead, try for the bright, scattered stars of the Beehive with binoculars or your telescope’s finder scope. A small scope with a wide field of view will also reveal several of its suns, and even catch Venus within the view.
Through a telescope, Venus shows off a 12”-wide gibbous disk that is 84 percent lit. What you’re seeing is sunlight reflecting off the venusian cloud tops, as the planet is swathed in a thick blanket of carbon dioxide that both hides the surface from view and creates a powerful greenhouse effect that heats the planet to some 870 degrees Fahrenheit (465 degrees Celsius).
Sunrise: 6:27 A.M.
Sunset: 7:33 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:57 P.M.
Moonset: 11:41 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (54%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.
For a look ahead at more upcoming sky events, check out our full Sky This Week column.
