Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2020 May 21
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                               Phases of Venus
                Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Richard Addis

   Explanation: [5]Just as the Moon goes [6]through phases, Venus' visible
   sunlit hemisphere waxes and wanes. This composite of [7]backyard
   telescopic images illustrates the steady changes for [8]Venus during
   its current stint as our evening star, as the inner planet grows larger
   but narrows to a thin crescent. Images from bottom to top were taken
   during 2020 on dates February 27, March 20, April 14, April 24, May 8,
   and May 14. Gliding along its interior orbit between Earth and Sun,
   Venus grows larger during that period because it is approaching planet
   Earth. Its crescent narrows, though, as Venus swings closer to our
   line-of-sight to the Sun. Closest to the Earth-Sun line but passing
   about 1/2 degree north of the Sun on June 3, Venus will reach a
   (non-judgmental) [9]inferior conjunction. Soon after, Venus will shine
   clearly above the eastern horizon in predawn skies as planet Earth's
   [10]morning star. After sunset tonight look for Venus above the western
   horizon and you can also spot [11]elusive innermost planet Mercury.

                      Tomorrow's picture: South Carina
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    Authors & editors: [23]Robert Nemiroff ([24]MTU) & [25]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([26]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [27]Specific rights apply.
              [28]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [29]ASD at [30]NASA / [31]GSFC
                           & [32]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2005/PhasesVenusAddis.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.instagram.com/richaddisastro/
   5. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/482/galileos-phases-of-venus-and-other-planets/
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_Galilei#Vnus.2C_Saturnn.2C_and_eeptune
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190406.html
   8. https://earthsky.org/tonight/venus-final-month-in-the-evening-sky
   9. http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/I/Inferior+Conjunction
  10. https://history.nasa.gov/SP-424/ch1.htm
  11. https://earthsky.org/?p=329974
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200520.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  16. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  21. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=200521
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200522.html
  23. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  25. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  26. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  28. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  29. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  32. http://www.mtu.edu/