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Incredible photos show Venus dancing near the moon

Venus and the moon created a spectacular sight in the western sky Sunday night, appearing inches away from each other.

A crescent moon sat to the right, just two degrees from Venus by mid-twilight. The view was visible with a naked eye about 30 minutes after sunset. For reference, holding three fingers together, up against the sky spans about five degrees.

Some people might also have spotted Mercury sitting to the lower right of the night sky.

While peak watching was Sunday night, Venus and the moon will remain nearby for a few more nights this week. This celestial sighting doesn't technically mean the moon and Venus have moved inches apart. The moon, near its closest point of orbit, sits 224,000 miles from Earth and Venus is about 400 times farther away, according to Sky and Telescope.

Here are a few photos from this weekend:

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