UNIQUE SKY SPECTACLE TO BE SEEN

Grey River Argus, 15 April 1948, Page 6

UNIQUE SKY SPECTACLE TO BE SEEN

AUCKLAND, April 14.

A sight of rare beauty—crescent moon with a brilliant star in close juxtaposition, as in the . Turkish national emblem, appeared in the north-western sky between dusk and 9 o’clock last evening. Mr A. W. McNeish, postmaster at Wbenuapai airport, recalled that '’.hen in Baghdad with the Imperial troops under General Maude in 1917, and after the successful Allied offensive against, the Turks, a star and crescent appeared, creating great excitement among the Arabs as a sign that Moslem fortunes would soon be in the ascendancy.

Professor Burbridge said to-day that it was almost certain that the star was the planet Venus. Every few years the moon crossed the orbit of Venus. Asked if the phenomenon would be visible in the northern hemisphere, he replied in the affirmative. SEEN AT GREYMOUTH The crescent moon with Venus close by was seen at Greyriouth on Tuesday evening about 7 o’clock, much earlier than in Auckland. The moon was situated to the norta-west, from Mawhera Quay, and the particular brightness of Venus attracted considerable attention. With the present clear weather, the phenomenon should be visible again.