Celestial Dance: Mars and Venus Illuminate the Skies | Jan. 12-18

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein discusses forthcoming celestial events with Bethlehem’s “Backyard Astronomy Guy,” Marty McGuire.

This week’s episode reflects the acclaimed sociology book “Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus” penned by relationship specialist John Gray in the 1990s. Both celestial bodies are exceptionally bright in the nighttime sky and can easily be seen with the unaided eye.

Currently, Venus, named after the love deity, is prominently shining as the “evening star.”

“It’s observable just after dusk in the southwest,” McGuire mentioned.

This moment is particularly advantageous for observing Venus since the planet is remarkably high above the evening horizon. Although it seems to be shifting toward the western horizon, on a clear evening it remains visible for approximately four hours after sunset.

The planet Mars, named after the Roman deity of war, ascends in the east as the sun and Venus descend in the west. It presents a bright reddish sphere in the eastern sky. It remains above the horizon throughout the night, but the forthcoming days and weeks offer a perfect chance to compare these two luminous planets.

If you identify both Mars and Venus in the night sky before Venus sets (around 9 p.m.), you may also observe another remarkably bright point of light, positioned high overhead. This is the planet Jupiter. Venus is the most brilliant, followed by Jupiter, and then the reddish Mars.