Venus is particularly bright in the night sky this month, outshining even Sirius, the brightest star. For observers at mid-northern latitudes, the planet remains visible for about four hours after sunset throughout January, making it an excellent time to observe Earth's " evil twin ," as showcased in the stunning photos below.

A close conjunction of Venus and the crescent moon were seen across the world this weekend. Here are the best images of one of the night sky's most arresting sights.

Stargazers around the globe were treated to a stunning celestial scene on Friday as Venus appeared shining brightly above a crescent Moon. The planet was visible to the naked eye in many cities across the world, including in the UK, US, Turkey and China.

Despite not being a star at all, Venus has been dubbed the Morning or Evening Star because it has in the past been mistaken for one due to its bright shine making it visible in both the morning and the evening. More recently, it’s been mistaken for manmade objects like satellites and drones.

I pick out North America’s celestial highlights for the week ahead (which also apply to mid-northern latitudes in the northern hemisphere).

On Friday night, the planet was visible to the naked eye in areas with clear skies and minimal light pollution.

Stargazers across India are in for a treat tonight as three celestial bodies, the Moon, Venus, and Saturn, aligned in a rare planetary event.

The clear skies of South Florida made perfect conditions for seeing a beautiful crescent moon Friday. However, residents also got a show of a rare celestial event — a brightly lit Venus.

Last night, stargazers around the world witnessed a rare celestial event as Venus aligned with a crescent moon in the night sky.