The moon and Venus came into conjunction earlier this morning, which created a particularly beautiful sight for the new year. The conjunction occurs when the moon and Venus have either the same right ascension or the same ecliptic longitude. The distance between the moon and Venus is the shortest at the conjunction. This phenomenon takes place around every 30 days.
The conjunction of the moon and Venus, as seen from Dalian City, Shandong Province, China. /VCG Photo
The conjunction of the moon and Venus, as seen from Dalian City, Shandong Province, China. /VCG Photo
The conjunction of the moon and Venus, as seen from Beijing at 5:45 a.m. on January 2. /VCG Photo
The conjunction of the moon and Venus, as seen from Beijing at 5:45 a.m. on January 2. /VCG Photo
The conjunction of the moon and Venus, as seen from Heilongjiang Province, China, at 6:51 a.m. on January 2. /VCG Photo
The conjunction of the moon and Venus, as seen from Heilongjiang Province, China, at 6:51 a.m. on January 2. /VCG Photo
The conjunction of the moon and Venus, as seen from Heilongjiang Province at 4:22 a.m. on January 2. /VCG Photo
The conjunction of the moon and Venus, as seen from Heilongjiang Province at 4:22 a.m. on January 2. /VCG Photo
The conjunction of the moon and Venus, as seen from Beijing Municipality, China. /VCG Photo
The conjunction of the moon and Venus, as seen from Beijing Municipality, China. /VCG Photo
Venus is the closest planet to Earth. It is the brightest planet at night, with Jupiter at second. Jupiter's date with the moon can be seen at 4:47 a.m. on January 3.