Brightness of Venus peaks next couple of nights

Earlier this week I had a viewer ask me what the bright star was in the west sky.  She said it was brighter and larger than normal.  That star was the planet Venus.

According to Accuweather.com, only a quarter of the planet was illuminated earlier this week.  However, Venus is moving closer to the Earth each evening allowing more and more of the surface of the planet to become illuminated.  Eventually it will pass between the Earth and the sun in March, becoming only a very thin crescent during that time.

We've got several clear and warm nights heading into the weekend.  Perfect for viewing the evening sky.  Enjoy!