Planets, moon put on a bright show in the New Year's sky

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Story highlights

The waning crescent moon and a bright Venus were visible on Jan. 1For some skywatchers, Mars and Neptune could be seen, too

(CNN)If you ever see a particularly big, bright star in the night sky, chances are it may not be a star at all. It is probably Venus, the brightest planet visible from Earth.

Such was the case on Sunday night, when an especially bright Venus paired up with a waning crescent moon, creating quite a sight for skywatchers.

According to EarthSky, Mars was also visible, although much smaller and not as bright. And for those with a telescope and some astronomical sleuthing skills, a glimpse at Neptune rounded out the planetary pageant.

Admirers took advantage of the sky's Instagrammable moment:

This picture was taken by MaoTing Hsu in Taichung, Taiwan. The top image was taken in Hong Kong, China by B. Yeung.

Credit CNN

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