The planet
Venus may be bright enough to cast shadows on Earth, but the Moon will soon
dampen its shine.
Venus is
gradually approaching its peak brightness for 2005 allowing some dedicated
skywatchers a chance to use the planet's brilliance to cast shadows here on
Earth.
But time to
catch Venus' solo show is now. By Saturday evening, a crescent Moon will dampen
the planet's shine with its own light and cast shadows of its own.
Determine
to witness Venus' shadow-casting ability for himself, amateur astronomer Pete
Lawrence of Selsey, United Kingdom set out with his sons Richard, 14, and
Douglas, 12, for a night of planet watching on Nov. 18. It was then that they
took this image of Venus.
By observing
Venus after sunset on Moonless nights, well away from any manmade light
sources, Lawrence and his sons were able to cast shadows against white paper.
"The
slightest movement destroyed their distinct sharpness," Lawrence said of the
shadows. "It is difficult to for a cold human being to stand still long enough
for the amount of time needed to catch the faint Venusian shadow."
Venus
appears in the southern sky after sunset and will hit its peak brilliance
between Dec. 8 and Dec. 15, though the Moon will shine during that time. The
planet is currently in a crescent phase, but on the same side of the Sun as
Earth. When Venus enters its full stage, it is completely illuminated - but on
the opposite side of the Sun from Earth - diminishing its brilliance.
-- SPACE.com Staff
Credit: Pete Lawrence.
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