Stunning pictures of Venus spotted next to crescent Moon

Venus used to be mistaken for a star because it glows so brightly in the night sky

Stargazers were treated to a spectacular display last night, as the planet Venus could be seen shining brightly next to a crescent Moon.

Avid astronomers around the world got some incredible snaps of it, as it could be seen from Turkey to China and here in the UK.

The Moon and Venus spotted above Edinburgh Castle in Scotland

Venus is sometimes called the Morning or Evening star, even though it's a planet not a star at all.

It was mistaken for a star in the past because it shines brightly and is often visible to the naked eye, you guessed it, in both the morning and evening.

However, it's of course not a star at all.

The Moon and Venus either side of a Church in Georgia

The planet is incredibly close to us - in fact, it's next door in the solar system, between Earth and the Sun.

The order of the planets from the Sun is as follows:

• Mercury

• Venus

• Earth

• Mars

• Jupiter

• Saturn

• Neptune

The planets in our Solar System in order

This is why it's so visible in the sky, and you don't always need a telescope to see it.

And it can be seen so near to the Sun in the sky because it's one of our solar systems closest orbiting planets.

It doesn't always appear so close to the Moon, though, which made the display all the more incredible.

They next big thing aspiring astronomers can look forward to is the Quadrantid meteor shower, which will take place between 28 December to 12 January and peak on 4 January.