Astronomy Event

[Guest Darren Masters]

All, this should be interesting. Hopefully the cloud clears:

 

Heavens happy to see you tonight

 

• Look up and smile tonight
   
   
  
• Venus, Jupiter and the moon will smile back
   
   
  
• Australia to get great view of happy heavens
   
   
  

 

 

 

IF you look up at the sky tonight you might just see the sky smiling back at you.

 

Astronomers say Venus and Jupiter and a crescent moon will form a smiley face tonight, with the planets forming the eyes and the moon forming the mouth.

 

The best time to see the phenomenon will be about 20 to 30 minutes after sunset tonight.

 

Venus and Jupiter have appeared side by side in the evening sky over the last week or so, but tonight will be the best night to see the "face" appear, astronomers say.

 

Viewers in Western Australia will see the best view of the effect, with the moon appearing closer to the "eyes".

 

Stargazers in Europe and Africa will miss out completely. By the time the sun sets for them, the moon will appear between the planets.

 

In the United States, the effect will be inverted and will appear as a frown.

 

David Widdowson, from astronomy calendar website Astrovisuals, said the heavens might be trying to send us a message to shrug off bad financial times and be happy.

 

"It is perhaps a reminder that things aren’t so bad and that we should try to follow the Python Commandment to 'always look on the bright side of life'," he said.