Bright Objects

In case you were wondering, the two very bright objects visible in the sky shortly after sunset are Venus (in the west) and Jupiter (in the southeast). After the sun and the moon, these are the two brightest natural celestial objects. If you see a star-like object even brighter than Venus that is slowly moving across the sky (and not blinking—those objects are called airplanes), it is probably the International Space Station (ISS). In its current and final configuration with widespread solar cells it outshines Venus, its brightness surpassed only by the sun and the moon. Here is the sky view at 8 pm on Thursday, March 26th from Lynchburg, looking to the south.  You’ll notice the bonus planet of Mars below Venus; look for its characteristic orange-red color.

Capture

Speaking of the ISS, there will be an especially nice viewing opportunity (for the Lynchburg area) this Sunday night, March 29th. The station will appear in the northwest at about 6:28 pm, pass almost directly overhead, and fade from view in the southeast at 6:34 pm. The sun will still be out but the station should be bright enough to see, especially if you know when and where to look.
As for the weather: I can’t help you there!

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