Venus Coming Closer to Earth - by 5 million kilometers

link:
[link to philstar.com]

Headlines
Venus unusually brighter in RP skies
By Ding Cervantes
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Page: 1
ANGELES CITY – If you see something beautiful in the sky, it really is Venus.

There’s an unusually bright object that begins to appear close to the moon at sunset in the western horizon of the Philippine skies and astronomers say it has grown brighter even than the brightest star.

Astronomer Jose Mendoza IV of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) told The STAR that the heavenly body in question is the planet Venus, which is coming closer to Earth, with only some 125 million kilometers separating both planets.

“Ordinarily, Venus’ distance from the earth is about 130 million kilometers,” Mendoza said.

The website www.space.com said that “during the first seven months of 2007, Venus will perform like an actress starring each evening in a brilliant performance.”

Venus is also referred to as the Morning Star.

Mendoza said that the brightness of Venus was noted at -4 magnitude, which is much brighter than the -1.4 magnitude of Sirius Alpha, the brightest known star next to the sun, with brightness measured at -26.72.

He said that Venus can be seen emitting “blue brightness,” although this may change, depending on dust particles or polluting elements in the atmosphere.

Mendoza said Venus could be seen with the naked eye, although ordinary binoculars and telescopes will make it more visible.

“While planets do not twinkle like the stars, Venus could be seen twinkling at times also as effect of atmosphere particles,” he added.

“Viewed in the western twilight, this planet appears dazzlingly bright to the unaided eye and more so (to those who use) binoculars. It will rise higher each evening and will continue to grow in prominence all during winter and on into the spring,” the website said.

Dr. Armand Lee of the Philippine Astronomical Society and president of the Rizal Technological University Astronomy Students Association, said in an interview that “we need more time to explain” this phenomenon, but added that “there are particular times when, because of the position of its orbit in relation to earth, we see (Venus) as unusually bright – depending on its phase as viewed on earth.”

Mendoza said Venus is expected to display a half moon shape in early June and a large crescent in July, when it is expected to appear to double in size to magnitude -4.3. — Ding Cervantes