Science

Morning star Venus: brighter, earlier each Sept morn in 2007

by William Atkins

Monday, 17 September 2007

The planet Venus, sometimes called the Morning Star when it appears in the dawn sky, is rising higher and earlier, and getting brighter, with the beginning of each new day during the months of September and October in 2007.

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Astronomers are predicting that it will reach its maximum brightness on September 23, 2007 (which is also the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere), when it will be about nineteen times brighter than the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius (or the “Dog Star”).

Sirius (which is part of the Winter Triangle that is made up of Betelgeuse, Procyon, and Sirius) is located in Canis Major, or the Big Dog. As comparison, at that time, Venus will also appear to be about ten times brighter than the second brightest planet in the night sky, Jupiter.

Venus began the month rising into the eastern portion of the night sky at about 5:30 a.m. (local times, and about 1.5 hours before the Sun appears in the sky), and is appearing earlier as the month of September progresses so that by the end of the month it will appear in the night sky at about 3:30 a.m. (about four hours before the Sun appears).

The glowing gold light of Venus in the early morning sky will appear in a crescent shape. The goldish color is due to the reflected sunlight from the Sun as it prepares to rise later in the morning.

During the end of September and early into October, Venus, the second closest planet to the Sun, will appear close to the star Regulus and the planet Saturn. Saturn will be to the left of Venus and below it in the sky.

Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo, will appear between Venus and Saturn. Saturn is brighter than Regulus. Because Saturn is a planet it will shine with a steadier light than the star Regulus. Planets “shine” due to reflected light from the Sun, while stars “shine” from their own light.

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