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When you're finished looking at the moon, Castor and Pollux, be sure to notice the planet Venus, still the brightest light besides the moon after sunset. Over the coming week, Venus will drop noticeably into the sun's glare prior to the June 5-6 Venus transit - last one in this century! Venus is so bright that you can see it very near the sunset. And a lovely sight it is. You'll need an unobstructed horizon, but if you have one it'll be fun to watch until this wondrous planet, which has given us so much enjoyment in recent months, as it finally leaves the evening sky. The image to the right  shows Venus near last night's

moon. It's from our friend May Tama in Japan.

Bottom line: On the evening of May 24, 2012, the waxing crescent moon shines close to Castor and Pollux, the two brightest stars in the constellation Gemini the Twins. Mark your calendar for the June 4 lunar eclipse. Watch the bright planet Venus drop into the sun's glare as it leaves the evening sky.