Stargazers treated to rare sight as Venus appears beside crescent Moon

January looks set to be a bumper month for spotting unusual celestial phenomena, with Mars set to be easier to see within the next fortnight.

Stargazers spied an unusual sight on Friday night, as Venus appeared beside a crescent moon.

The planet could be seen with the naked eye in locations lucky enough to have clear skies and incredible pictures show it seemingly shining.

 
Venus is often called the Morning or Evening Star, as it can easily be mistaken for a bright star.

January looks set to be a good month for stargazers and astronomers, as numerous celestial phenomena will be visible across the coming weeks.

The Quadrantid meteor shower is at its peak this weekend and visible until January 12.

On January 16, there is a strong chance you'll be able to see Mars as the red planet will be in "opposition", meaning Earth will be directly between it and the sun.

Just under a week later, on 21 January, you could see five planets - Saturn, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars - in the night sky after 9pm, according to the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

Four of the planets should be visible to the naked eye, but seeing Uranus will require a telescope or very dark skies.

Anyone hoping to spot celestial phenomena is advised to find a stargazing spot away from light pollution and to allow at least 15 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness.