The Moon will appear next to Venus and Mars on February 20, in an event being called a conjunction triple play by some astronomers.
Mars and Venus will appear next to a waxing crescent Moon. Our planetary companion will not be seen on February 19, so just a thin sliver of the satellite will be visible during the conjunction. A similar event was witnessed from Earth in January 2015, but the bodies will be much closer this time than they were during the last conjunction.
Amateur astronomers can view the triple play in the western sky, soon after sunset. No special equipment is needed to observe the conjunction, although such an event is always a good reason to bring out a backyard telescope. For amateur astronomers using telescopes, Venus exhibits phases much like the moon, although it is never seen as "full" from the Earth. On the night of the conjunction, around 88 percent of the planet will be visible.
Venus is easily recognizable, as the planet is the third-brightest object in the sky, after the Sun and Moon. Mars is not nearly as bright, but exhibits a distinctive red color that makes it easy to identify. The three astronomical bodies will be contained within two degrees of each other - roughly four times the diameter of a full moon.
On February 21, Mars and Venus will make their closest apparent approach to each other, appearing just half a degree (one moon diameter) apart from each other on that evening. By that time, however, the Moon will have moved well away from that position.
During the triple play conjunction, the two planets will rest along a slightly skewed vertical line, with Mars above, and slightly to the right, of Venus. The crescent Moon, to the right of the pair, and illuminated on its eastern rim, will resemble the lips of a smiley-faced emoticon.
"All three celestial objects will be so close together that you should be able to just about cover them with your thumb held at arm's length. The grouping will make for a pretty photo opportunity," National Geographic reports.
Venus will remain a brilliant feature in evening skies until summer.
The pair of planets is also marked by their role in mythology, as the Ancient Greeks and Romans each associated Mars with their Gods of war, and Venus with the Goddess of love. The fourth Wings album, Venus and Mars, was released in 1975, and Chinese New Year also begins on February 19, starting the newest year of the goat.
