Astrology

Venus appears in the morning sky ahead of its late November peak

Venus has emerged as a bright point in the eastern sky before sunrise, BBC Sky at Night Magazine reports. The planet, traditionally called the Morning Star or Evening Star, is due to reach its brightest appearance in this year's morning sky in late November.

The change follows Venus's passage between Earth and the sun on October 24, an event called inferior conjunction, according to Yahoo. The planet moved from the evening sky into the morning sky after that passage.

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Venus climbs above the eastern horizon#

Venus can resemble a lone star during twilight, when the light has washed out even the brightest stars, BBC Sky at Night Magazine says. Its reflective clouds account for much of its brightness: sunlight bounces off them, making the planet stand out from Earth.

CNET reports that Venus began November close to the sun in the sky, making it difficult to see. As the month progresses, the apparent distance between them increases. BBC Sky at Night Magazine says Venus rises above the eastern horizon through November and December, reaching the southeast by sunrise.

In astrology, Venus is associated with love, beauty and harmony. Its appearance near Spica is an astronomical observation: Astronomy identifies Spica as a bright star in Virgo and reported that Venus passed south of it on November 3.

The moon and planets share the sky#

A crescent moon appeared near Venus on November 7, BBC Sky at Night Magazine reports. Photographer Jakub Kuřák captured the pairing over Ještěd tower in the Czech Republic at 05:57 CET.

Mars and Jupiter are also visible in November's morning sky, with the star Regulus nearby, according to CNET. The outlet says the two planets appear close together throughout the month and draw particularly close around November 15-16. Saturn is visible after dusk.

Venus remains exceptionally bright through December as it climbs higher before dawn, BBC Sky at Night Magazine reports. By December 17, Yahoo says, the planet rises 3 hours and 50 minutes before sunrise.

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