Astronomy Picture of the Day . Clouds and Crescents . ... The Earth's sister planet is smiling between the low clouds near the bottom of the frame during its January 2nd conjunction with the slender, young crescent Moon above. ... A rival to vanquished Comet ISON in 2013, Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) still sweeps through early morning skies, captured in this starry scene on New Year's day. ... It is visible as the dark indentation to the red emission nebula in the center of the above photograph. ...