The brightest planet in the western sky, Venus now appears near Antares, the brightest red planet in the zodiacal constellation Scorpius. The two are in the southwestern sky right after sunset. You'll have no trouble seeing Venus, it is so bright. Antares is right nearby.

Venus is getting higher in our sky. For much of late summer and in the past weeks, the planet has appeared low; only visible to those who have a clear unobstructed view of the southwest. That will change for the months ahead. You will see Venus appearing higher and higher in the western sky. By the end of the year, Venus can be viewed by all, easily.

Venus will be our Christmas planet, our planet for the holidays. Right now Venus is in the constellation Scorpius, one of the southern most constellations in the zodiac. Antares is such a ruby red star. Astronomers liken it to Betelgeuse which will soon dominate our winter skies. Betelgeuse is in the constellation Orion, a winter favorite.

Taurid Meteor Shower

There are two small meteor showers gracing our night sky after sunset. The Taurid meteor shower is made up of two showers, one earlier in November and the second later in November. The meteors essentially appear to come from the constellation Taurus, which rises really late in the evening. You can see upwards of ten meteors in an hour. Step outside and let your eyes adapt to the night sky. Look to the east where the constellation Taurus is rising. Enjoy the stars you see and maybe you'll see a meteor, a falling star.