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Object Near Venus in the Sky in March 2020?

-- John | March 25, 2020

Question:

Dear Jeff,
I can easily see what I assume is Venus. It appears almost directly overhead sometime soon after sunset. It is definitely visible by 19.00 local time (I live in Wrocław, Poland), and it is big and bright. As the night passes, it “sinks” down to the west.
What I am really curious about is that I can see a point of light directly below (almost touching) Venus. It is not nearly as bright. Sometimes (to my eyes at least), it looks like there are even two points of light below Venus. The point/points travel with Venus through the night. Are my eyes playing a trick on me, or is there something below Venus? It can’t be the Pleiades, because they are above Venus. It can’t be Jupiter, because it rises in the morning right now.
I’m not using any sort of telescope/binoculars/etc. to look at Venus—just my 56-year old, near-sighted eyes!
Thank you for your time and help.

-- John

Answer:

The only reasonably bright object near Venus right now is the Pleiades, but this open cluster is about 7 degrees away from Venus and, as you say, above Venus. Also, Venus should be in the western sky around sunset, at about 35 degrees elevation, and setting about four hours later. It sounds like what you might be seeing is a optical aberration of some sort. If you wear glasses, for example, you could be seeing a minor version of a multiple reflection within your glasses.

-- Jeff Mangum

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