Celestial alignment: Venus, moon, and Spica to grace morning skies
A captivating astronomical event is unfolding this week, offering early risers a stunning view of Venus, the waning crescent moon, and the star Spica.
From London, the alignment will be visible looking east-south-east at 0600 GMT on November 7. Venus will be the most prominent object, easily identifiable due to its brightness. Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, located approximately 250 light years from Earth, will be positioned near Venus.
The waning crescent moon completes the picturesque scene. On November 7, the moon will be two days past its new phase, with only 4% of its surface illuminated. Observers may even detect earthshine, the faint glow of sunlight reflected from Earth illuminating the moon’s dark side.
To fully appreciate this celestial arrangement, a clear view towards the east-south-east is essential. While the sky will still be relatively dark at 0600 GMT, the approaching sunrise will gradually diminish the visibility of fainter stars.
This striking alignment will also be observable in the southern hemisphere, where Venus, the moon, and Spica will appear higher in the eastern sky before sunrise.
Source
“Starwatch: Catch the striking trifecta of Venus, the moon and Spica at break of dawn”
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