Stellar Smiley

You may have noticed the 2 bright stars that have been appearing in the western sky shortly after sunset for the last month or so, and wondered just which stars or planets they were. I know I did. We first noticed them while watching sunsets in the clear skies of western Maui last month.

What you're actually looking at are the planets Venus and Jupiter. Sunday, the crescent moon appeared in the sky with them, forming an elongated smiley face captured above Los Angeles by photographer Dave Jurasevich.

click for a larger view
Unfortunately for us midwesterners, the snowy weather obscured this view from us.