Venus, Jupiter & Moon Make Skywatching Triple Play This Week

by Geoff Gaherty, Starry Night Education

Date: 22 February 2012 Time: 10:25 AM ET

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Venus, Jupiter, and the moon form a skywatching treat in the evening sky on for the week of Feb. 22, 2012, with a triple conjunction on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26. CREDIT: Starry Night Software View full size image

Anyone out under the stars in the early evening lately likely cannot help but notice two brilliant objects dominating the western sky: the planets Venus and Jupiter.
Venus, because it is closer to the sun than Earth, never strays far from the sun in our sky. Jupiter, being outside the Earth's orbit, can appear anywhere along the ecliptic — the path of the sun, moon, and planets across the sky. Venus and Jupiter are gradually growing closer, and will pass each other on March 13.

MORE: http://www.space.com/14644-venus-jupiter-moon-skywatching-triple-play.html

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