NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for October 29, 2026, features an image of Venus seen almost directly between the Sun and Earth, appearing as a bright crescent rather than a full disk. The photograph is credited to Thierry Legault. According to the accompanying explanation, Venus shows phases, and this alignment recurs about once every year and a half, similar to the monthly alignment behind a new Moon.

Unlike the dark new Moon, Venus's backlit atmosphere refracts and scatters sunlight, producing a glowing arc that extends beyond 180 degrees. The ends of this arc are known as the "horns." The crescent can be viewed with a small telescope or binoculars during twilight, and the explanation notes that people with exceptionally acute eyesight may see it without aid.

The text adds that ancient Babylonian astronomers may have been the first to study Venus's brightness changes, which are linked to its phases, and that other cultures kept similar records, including the oldest surviving Maya book. The APOD page names Cecilia Chirenti, Robert Nemiroff, Jerry Bonnell and Keighley Rockcliffe as authors and editors, and lists NASA's Science Activation program and Michigan Technological University as partners.