Sky watchers will be in for a treat with a bright peak from Venus on September 18. Here you will find everything you need to know. – Photo courtesy of Zelch Csaba of PexelsSkywatchers, take note: the brightest thing you’ll see this week may not be the moon. Rather, a bright Venus will light up the September night sky, and the planet will shine brighter than almost anything tonight, September 18, after sunset. According to NASA, Venus is forecast to reach its brightest tonight, with the planet appearing lower than usual in the night sky and just above the western horizon. Unlike August’s blood moon or the Perseid meteor shower, this astronomical event is predicted to be one of the easiest fall celestial displays to witness with the naked eye, although some skygazing essentials, like a telescope or binoculars, will certainly help enhance your viewing experience. For a complete guide to seeing bright Venus, read on: What you need to see this week’s bright Venus event Despite being the second planet from the sun, Venus is a much more forgiving sky-watching target on the eyes, and unlike the solar eclipse that took place earlier this fall, you won’t need special glasses to enjoy the views of this week’s astronomical display. However, certain sky-watching essentials can be helpful to ensure you get the best view, such as a telescope or binoculars; I’ve linked some of my favorite stargazing products below. Best Telescope for Watching Meteor Showers Buy the Best Telescope for Watching Meteor Showers: Photo Courtesy of Amazon Designed for adults, kids, and beginner stargazers, this travel telescope is equipped with a 70mm aperture for clearer views of planets (like Venus!), meteor showers, and other celestial displays. Buy the best binoculars for viewing the meteor shower: Photo courtesy of Best Buy It’s not a proper telescope, but these high-tech binoculars offer an unparalleled experience. view of the night sky, with superior optics that will allow amateur astronomers to get an up-close glimpse of the greatest celestial events, including Venus at its brightest. What is bright Venus? Venus Bright is when the planet Venus emits maximum luminosity, shining at its brightest in the night sky and looking more like a bright star than an actual planet. “Venus at its brightest” refers to the point in the planet’s orbit when its brightness is at its maximum, which in the case of this week’s celestial events, will occur in the night sky tonight, September 18. It will also mark Venus at its brightest until 2028. What time is Venus at its brightest? Look up 30 to 60 minutes after sunset tonight, September 18, to witness bright Venus in the night sky; The planet should be located low in the western sky, with a reported brightness magnitude of -4.8. Venus will appear as a constant white light that appears brighter than virtually any other star. More Skywatching Tips: For a better skywatching experience, use these tips to guide your brilliant Venus viewing: Get away from light pollution: If you can walk to a place with a dark sky or at least an area with minimal light pollution, you’ll have a much better view of the night sky. Avoid phone screens: Give your eyes a minimum of 20 minutes to adjust to the dark sky, keeping bright screens and distractions at bay.
