BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire.
This week, the planet Venus, in its role as the morning "star," reaches its highest point over the eastern horizon in the early morning sky. It rises about two hours before the sun and shines very brightly before dawn.
Venus “is amazingly bright and high above the horizon these days,” according to McGuire. “And it's getting even better as we approach May 31, because Venus is approaching its greatest western elongation.”
In astronomical terms the "greatest western elongation" of Venus means that, from our Earthbound point of view, the planet is at the point in its orbit furthest from the sun. And that puts it at its highest point above Earth’s horizon before sunrise.
At its greatest eastern elongation it is visible from Earth just after sunset.
At that time, in the summer of 2026, it will have a new role in the night sky. No longer heralding the dawn, it will be transformed into the evening "star."