There is a beautiful sight to keep an eye open for after sunset on 17 May. Venus is visible in the evening sky as a glittering, unmistakeable “evening star”. It will be joined by the thin crescent of the new moon, creeping eastward from the sun to begin a new lunar month.
Although not particularly close – the moon will remain about 10 lunar diameters away – it will make an attractive pairing. As the sky dims into night, the dark side of the moon will become illuminated by Earthshine – the sunlight that bounces off our planet and up to the moon.
The chart shows the view at 21.00 BST on 17 May, looking to the west, shortly before the pair sink below the horizon. Having found Venus and the moon, turn to face the south-east. The sky should be noticeably darker in that direction and another “evening star” should be visible. This is the giant planet Jupiter, having just risen to climb through the night sky.
