Spectacular clear sky here with Venus this evening

[Halbhh]

Here we have an unusually crystal clear late twilight, and the air is quite dry, and Venus is high up in the evening sky shining about as bright as I've ever seen it (which is saying pretty bright!).

It's the bright 'evening star', far brighter than any other object up in the 'heavens' at the moment here (moonrise isn't till about 9:40p or so). A real jewel tonight.

 

[Halbhh]

To the left of Venus in the western evening sky (until it sets later) one should be able to see the constellation Orion, with the recently in-the-news yellow looking star at the top left: Betelgeuse --

Betelgeuse is Dimming . . . Why? - Sky & Telescope

 

[Unofficial Reverand Alex]

Neat!

Orion is considered a winter constellation (as I'm sure you know, but maybe not the other people reading these posts). I think it's around October when I first see it, but I know it's well before winter when Orion shows up. Every morning of a school day, before I left for college, I would go out to the dog barn to check their food & water & spend a little time with them. Orion was always in the sky above & to the right of the barn in the mornings, and as such, it's the constellation I know better than any other. I haven't actually seen the star looking so yellow, but it has been a few years since I saw Orion consistently. Interesting!

 

[Halbhh]

Neat!

Orion is considered a winter constellation (as I'm sure you know, but maybe not the other people reading these posts). I think it's around October when I first see it, but I know it's well before winter when Orion shows up. Every morning of a school day, before I left for college, I would go out to the dog barn to check their food & water & spend a little time with them. Orion was always in the sky above & to the right of the barn in the mornings, and as such, it's the constellation I know better than any other. I haven't actually seen the star looking so yellow, but it has been a few years since I saw Orion consistently. Interesting!

Wow, you sent me down memory lane there. That time when only the brighter stars are visible.

 

[Unofficial Reverand Alex]

Wow, you sent me down memory lane there. That time when only the brighter stars are visible.

My dad took an interest in astronomy to overcome his fear of the dark. I had an astronomy phase as a kid, partly fueled by my dad's knowledge of the night sky.

I live in the county, but I want to live in the city, and I go to college in the city. In most ways, I much prefer the city, but every time I come back home, the first clear night I just stop & look at the stars for awhile. The night sky is just fantastic where there's so little light pollution!

Just some disorganized thoughts as I fall asleep!