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[Centaur]

The current evening apparition of brilliant Venus for observers north of the tropics was difficult for much of the year as the post-sunset celestial geometry made it appear that Venus was making little progress in clearing the horizon. It has now reached its greatest eastern elongation from the Sun, but will appear to be popping higher into the sky through early December when it reaches greatest brilliance as the celestial geometry improves. Its illumination is now near dichotomy (like a Half Moon) and for the rest of the year will appear to become slimmer as a crescent but larger in diameter as it comes closer to Earth.

For my preview graphics and more detailed description of this apparition of Venus, visit www.CurtRenz.com/venus

Photos and descriptions of Venus would be welcome additions to this thread.

[Paulie pchris00]

It's been fun to watch Venus drift ever farther south over the last several months, while remaining about the same declination at sunset.

[Centaur]

Nov 6, 2013 12:04:17 GMT -6 Paulie pchris00 said:

It's been fun to watch Venus drift ever farther south over the last several months, while remaining about the same declination at sunset.

Yes, Paulie, although I know you meant to type altitude rather than declination. It's post-sunset altitude was indeed steady throughout the summer and early autumn, but now its altitude will be increasing into early December. This despite the fact that its elongation from the Sun is decreasing. The competing factor is the angle at which the ecliptic strikes the horizon at sunset, which has been increasing since passing the time of the autumnal equinox.

[Paulie pchris00]

Yes, altitude. It didn't seem quite the right word, though, but I can't really think of a better one.