Venus Near Dawn

Venus may be an inhospitable planet, but it’s certainly a sight for sore eyes. NASA released this stunning image today of Venus rising in the early morning hours off the coast of Sea Isle City, New Jersey. The closest planet to the Earth, Venus looks like a full moon in this incredible photograph.

From NASA’s website:

Brilliant Venus and the central Milky Way rise in the early morning hours of March 1 in this sea and skyscape. The scene looks out from a beach at Sea Isle City, New Jersey, USA, planet Earth. Of course, Earth orbits well within the solar system’s habitable zone, that Goldilocks region not too close and not too far from the Sun where surface temperatures can support liquid water. Similar in size to Earth, Venus lies just beyond the inner boundary of the habitable zone. The watery reflection of light from our inhospitable sister planet is seen along a calm, cold ocean and low cloud bank.