How to Find Venus and a Crescent Moon Over Thanksgiving Weekend
An enhanced image of the moon taken with the NOAO Mosaic CCD
camera at Kitt Peak National Observatory, and superimposed on a
separate image of the sky. While recovering from turkey and
stuffing overload this Thanksgiving weekend, you might want to
look for a pretty celestial sight on Saturday evening (Nov. 26).
About a half-hour after sunset, look low to the southwest sky.
You'll need a view with no tall obstructions, such as buildings
or trees, that might block the scene. There, hanging just above
the horizon, will be the slender sliver of a crescent moon, less
than two days after it has passed new phase. It will be only 4
percent illuminated, and in binoculars against the twilight sky,
you might even obtain a glimpse of the phenomenon known as
"Earthshine," which is light that has traveled from the sun to
the Earth, reflected toward the moon and then back to Earth. The
result is that you can dimly see the unilluminated part of the
moon's disk g