Moon and Venus, April 22

The western-western hemisphere enjoyed a spectacular occultation of Venus, just past inferior conjunction, by the old pre-dawn Moon, April 22, 2009. The Moon's libration swung the small dark floor of the mini-basin (and mascon) of Grimaldi into highlighted view. (Photo by Johnny Horne, Backyard Universe, The Fayetteville Observer, North Carolina.)

Johnny Horne is photo editor for the Observer, where he has worked for more than 30 years. Johnny has been an amateur astronomer since age 10 and is now a contributing editor for Sky and Telescope magazine. He has led astronomical expeditions to Mexico, Africa, the Caribbean and Iceland. In 2004 the IAU designated the asteroid 11132 Horne in his honor.