Venus near the daytime Moon as seen from Tampa, Florida at noon on December 7th.

Note: Moon the elevation value quoted is for the start (ingress) of each event. The event occurs 42 degrees west of the Sun, and Venus will ingress along the Moon’s daytime side and emerge along its dark nighttime limb. Venus shines at magnitude -4.2, is 69% illuminated, and 16” in size. On the morning of December 7 th, the Moon is a 13% illuminated waning crescent and just four days from New. Eastern North America will have the toughest challenge, with the pair sandwiched between the high noonday Sun and the western horizon. Lucky residents in southern Alaska will get to see the event occur under twilight dawn skies before sunrise, while western North America will have a favorable view after sunrise, with the Moon and Venus high in the sky. The event will transpire in daytime skies for a majority of the continent, but don’t despair Venus is easily visible to the unaided eye near the limb of the daytime Moon. It’s also the best of the year, well positioned for North America. This is the final of seven naked eye occultations of planets by the Moon in 2015, three of which involve Venus. The year 2015 saved one of the best astronomical events for last, as the waning crescent Moon occults (passes in front of) the planet Venus as seen from North America on Monday, December 7 th.

Konstantinos occult