Sunset and Venus

Here is Venus, although I did not know that it was she at the time, about to disappear below the horizon and into the colors of the setting sun on Friday, November 25th at about 5:30 pm. When I'm painting a celestial body, I try to think about whether it is a planet or a star so I can look it up later. 


What's the difference? My rule of thumb is that stars twinkle and planets glow steadily. Stars are nuclear factories constantly flaring and creating energy so they pulse in light which becomes twinkling. Planets are lit by reflected light from a star and therefore the light appears constant.