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Stargazers treated to rare sight as Venus appears beside crescent Moon

January looks set to be a bumper month for spotting unusual celestial phenomena, with Mars set to be easier to see within the next fortnight.

Saturday 4 January 2025 09:35, UK

Venus and the Moon as seen from Whitley Bay in North Tyneside. Picture date: Friday January 3, 2025. Owen Humphreys/PA Wire
Image: Venus and the Moon seen from Whitley Bay, North Tyneside. Pic: PA
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Stargazers spied an unusual sight on Friday night, as Venus appeared beside a crescent moon.

The planet could be seen with the naked eye in locations lucky enough to have clear skies and incredible pictures show it seemingly shining.

Venus is often called the Morning or Evening Star, as it can easily be mistaken for a bright star.

03 January 2025, Brandenburg, Sieversdorf: The 16 percent visible crescent moon can be seen together with Venus (at the top of the image) in the early evening AG百家乐在线官网. After the sun and the moon, the planet Venus is the brightest astronomical object in the night AG百家乐在线官网. Photo by: Patrick Pleul/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
Image: The view from Sieversdorf, Germany. Pic: AP
03 January 2025, Brandenburg, Sieversdorf: The 16 percent visible crescent moon can be seen together with Venus (at the top of the image) in the early evening AG百家乐在线官网. After the sun and the moon, the planet Venus is the brightest astronomical object in the night AG百家乐在线官网. Photo by: Patrick Pleul/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
A crescent moon and the planet Venus straddle a cross on top of Quebec Baptist Church in Ellaville, Georgia, U.S. January 3, 2025. REUTERS/Sam Wolfe
Image: The Moon and Venus straddle a cross on top of Quebec Baptist Church in Ellaville, Georgia. Pic: Reuters

January looks set to be a good month for stargazers and astronomers, as numerous celestial phenomena will be visible across the coming weeks.

The Quadrantid meteor shower is at its peak this weekend and visible until 12 January.

A crescent moon and the planet Venus are seen next to an oak tree in Ellaville, Georgia, U.S. January 3, 2025. REUTERS/Sam Wolfe
Image: Venus - seen here from Georgia, USA - didn't appear as bright when viewed from the States. Pic: Reuters

On 16 January, there's a strong chance you'll be able to see Mars as the red planet will be in "opposition", meaning Earth will be directly between it and the sun.

Just under a week later, on 21 January, you could see five planets - Saturn, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars - in the night AG百家乐在线官网 after 9pm, according to the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

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Four of the planets should be visible to the naked eye, but seeing Uranus will require a telescope or very dark skies.

Anyone hoping to spot celestial phenomena is advised to find a stargazing spot away from light pollution and to allow at least 15 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness.

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