Spectacular Venus And Moon Pairing: What To Know In Newark

NEWARK, CA — People in Newark who are romantics at heart may want to set the alarm for an early wake-up to see Venus “kiss” the slender crescent moon on Nov. 9.

“Kiss” is a euphemism to describe the position of Venus relative to the moon. Venus will be about a degree to the upper right of the moon.

To see the spectacular pairing of the planet of love and the moon, set your alarm so you’re ready to head out the door around 5 o’clock local time. That hinges on the weather, of course. Right now, partly cloudy conditions are predicted the morning of the celestial smooch.

To see it, head to an area as free of obstructions as possible. Bring a camera — after all, how often have you seen that dreamy setup on a greeting card? The money shot is in the east-northeast sky.

You may also see a phenomenon known as “Earthshine.” When the dark face of the moon catches Earth’s reflected glow and returns the light, it can look like a “ghostly version of the full moon,” according to NASA. A pair of binoculars will enhance the view.

If you need another reason to point your head toward the sky this month, check out Jupiter, which is outshining the brightest of stars throughout November.

Jupiter makes its closest approach to Earth, called perigee, overnight Monday, and will be in opposition with the sun overnight Tuesday. You’ll see the giant planet all month long, ascending from the east a little earlier each evening.

It will look about the same size throughout November, with only a 3 percent difference in the perceived size.

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The longer the wait between opposition and Jupiter-gazing, the greater the likelihood you’ll need binoculars or even a telescope. The best views of Jupiter are around 11 p.m. nightly, according to the Farmers’ Almanac

On Nov. 13, you’ll be able to see the planet Uranus at its annual opposition — look for the greenish dot between Jupiter and the Pleiades star cluster. It’s best to use a telescope or binoculars to see the planet, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.