Sky Watch: Taking celestial trio's picture

There's something truly magical about the dawn. Anyone who has ever experienced it knows how true this is, yet, if asked, most people would argue that dawn is much the same as dusk, only in reverse. Not even close!

One reason for the difference is that our eyes are more dark-adapted at dawn, and our perceptions of subtle light and colors are more acute. Another reason is that, during the night, most of the dust and pollutants scattered by traffic and other daily activity have had a chance to settle out, leaving the sky cleaner and more intense.

Yes, it is well worth the effort to rise before the sun to experience this transition between night and day, especially in rural or wilderness areas.

At dawn on July 15 and 16, the three brightest objects of the night sky will hang together over the eastern horizon to create a sky show you won't want to miss.

On the morning of July 15, the crescent moon, complete with a full disk of "Earthshine" -- light reflecting back onto the dark side of the moon from Earth itself -- will hover just above the planets Jupiter and Venus. By the following morning, the moon will have drifted eastward in its orbit around Earth and, now as a slightly thinner crescent, will lie just to the left of brilliant Venus.

Aim binoculars in the direction of this celestial trio, and you'll be stunned by how three-dimensional it looks. Of course, this is purely an illusion, since we're unable to perceive true depth in the cosmos, but it does produce a pretty picture.