The planet Venus, which has been languishing low in the dusk from late summer through early fall, at last manages to stay above the west-southwest horizon until a half hour after the end of evening twilight. About 45 minutes after sunset on Monday, look toward the southwest horizon to see Venus hovering near to the moon; an eye-catching tableau in spite of the pair's low altitude.

Venus will likely catch your eye first; it will be shining only 10 degrees above the horizon – equal to the width of your clenched fist held at arm's length. Make sure that you have a clear and unobstructed view – no trees or buildings – toward the southwest. Now look below and slightly to the left of Venus and you'll also see the slender sliver of a waxing crescent moon. This eye-catching duo will quickly descend as the sky darkens, finally setting just over 1.5 hours after sunset beyond the southwest horizon.