Above, a conjunction of the crescent moon, Jupiter and Venus, setting in the western sky on Monday, Dec. 1, 2008. The photo was taken in midtown Manhattan by Mitchell Nussbaum, a Central Park amateur astronomer, who writes:
This is the view from 8th avenue by Madison Square Garden. On Dec.1 the moon set at 7:47, Venus set at 7:28 and Jupiter at 7:24. It was the the timing that of the three celestial objects' setting that made them seem to line up so closely
Tonight [Wednesday 12/3] the moon will set at 9:52, Venus at 7:30 and Jupiter at 7:24. That means that if the sky is clear tonight you will get a lovely view of the two very bright planets in the western sky after 6 pm, let's say, [sunset is at 4:29pm] while the crescent moon will be visible higher in the sky four hours before it sets. Not exactly a conjunction, as in Mitchell's dramatic photo of Dec. 1, , but still a lovely show.
PS There are two planets in a diagonal line below and to the right of the moon on Mitchell's photo, although there only seems to be one when the photo appears on my laptop. The glittering lights at the photo's right belong to a building, perhaps Madison Square Garden. I don't know what the ticket-shaped object at bottom left is.
