The bright planet Venus hugs close to the western horizon now. It no longer has the prominent position of being high in the west after sunset. Still, the planet is brilliant and viewable if you know where to look and you time yourself in that sweet spot where the planet is high enough in the west after sunset. In no time at all Venus follows behind the setting sun.

On Monday, only a few amateur astronomers in Europe down through Africa will take the time  watch Venus as it is occulted by the thin crescent moon in broad daylight.

For the rest of us, we won't see it. Instead it will be a conjunction, when the two appear close together..

We'll see the two together about an hour after sunset. Enjoy the moment. Venus and the crescent moon will appear really close together.

Enjoy Venus while you can. In a about a month, Venus is going to fade from our western sky and reappear later this autumn as a morning planet.