Article Posted on : - Jan 24, 2012

MUMBAI (PTI): On the evening of January 26, there will be a 'pairing' of the Moon and Venus.

"These days, soon after it gets dark after the sunset, Venus can be seen shining brilliantly above the western horizon," Arvind Paranjpye, Director of Nehru Planetarium, Nehru Centre, said.

"On January 26, Venus will be joined by thin crescent moon to its right. What is more, when a thin lunar crescent is visible in the sky, one can also see the part of the moon not directly illuminated by sunlight, but the sunlight reflected back by the earth," he said.

"This is sometimes referred to as 'old moon in new moon's arms'," he said.

However, events like this are by no means a rare phenomenon, he added.