Two Bright, One Dim Planet

Two bright planets show off their brightness while one needed this 30-second exposure to be seen clearly. Venus shines brightly at center lower at magnitude -4.13 while Jupiter competes at upper left at magnitude -2.27. Zooming in this image allows one to see the 5.92 magnitude planet Uranus, the first "star" visible under Venus. Uranus can be seen with the naked eye under dark conditions. However it never was recognized as a planet throughout early history because of its dimness and slow orbit. The houses in the foreground are located on White Ivy Place NE in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as seen from the grounds of nearby Noelridge Christian Church. This photo was shot at f/5, 250 ISO and 18mm focal length, 7:57 PM, Saturday, February 11, 2012.