Stargazers across the UK were treated to a rare spectacle as the planets Jupiter and Venus aligned perfectly with the Moon in the sky last night. On Wednesday night, the two planets, which often look like the brightest “stars” in the night sky, first met up with the Moon, while the body is only visible as a tiny sliver of a crescent. Last night, stargazers were left delighted as the same phenomenon repeated itself. The stunning spectacle had many in Wales capturing the event on camera and sharing it on social media.
Commenting on a Wales Online Facebook post, Kaka Davey said: “I didn’t take a photo, but it was a fantastic sight to see this evening.” And Christina Davies said: “Seen it last night. it’s amazing.”
Lisa Turner commented: “Saw this earlier with my son! He pointed it out it because it looked cool.” And Gail Nash wrote: “Beautiful. Seen it tonight. Once in a life time.”
And Lindsey Grey said: “It was perfect tonight. I loved it.” On Twitter, @IamRikaSmith, tweeted: “Jupiter, The Moon and Venus, from the valleys of Wales.”
Meanwhile, Twitter user @WalesRees shared an image writing: “Cowbridge…Last night’s combination of Jupiter, the moon and Venus below; then Jupiter & 3 of its moons…then tonight with the moon highest, Jupiter & then Venus. Tonight I could capture 4 possibly 5 of the moons of Jupiter with my camera!”
Elsewhere in Wales, Ian Brookes tweeted: “Lucky to have a clear sky in north Wales just now, a bright Moon and aligned to the centre point are Jupiter & Venus bright in the sky.” Meanwhile, Mike J shared stunning pictures of the alignment over the Llanelli town centre.
Venus appears at the bottom of the alignment as the crescent Moon sparkles at the top, leaving Jupiter sandwiched in the middle. The alignment was noticeable in the early evening.
As the month goes on, the Moon will continue to pass further from the planets. Jupiter and Venus, though, will be the main visible features up in the night sky for the next couple of weeks.
Astronomy website EarthSky says that Venus, the brightest planet is climbing higher in the west after sunset each night. And that it’s moving closer to the second brightest planet, Jupiter, which is now descending towards the sunset.
READ MORE: Welsh island hailed as Dark Sky ‘sanctuary’ for stargazing
Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island in English) off the Llŷn Peninsula has earned an International Dark Sky Sanctuary (DSS) certification, making it the first location in Europe to secure such an award.
The remote Welsh location is one of 16 others to meet the strict criteria of exceptionally dark and remote locations of DSS award winners, all of which have “exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights”.
The International Dark Sky Association says any outside lights in the area must point downwards with an orange glow rather than blue.
The Welsh area has such optimal stargazing conditions partly due to a mountain on the island that functions as an effective barrier which limits light from the mainland. Located two miles off the Llŷn Peninsula, the exceptionally remote 1.5-mile-long island also has no cars, electricity grid or indoor toilets.
