Venus has been the bright evening star all year long, but now it is approaching the end of its apparition.  It is now gradually decreasing in elongation from the Sun and simultaneously moving increasingly further south below the ecliptic, both movements of which tend to diminish Venus' visibility in the evening sky.  Here we see the brightest planet encoaching on the lucida of Virgo, Spica.  It will pass Spica on September 1.  Venus is magnitude -4.39 this evening.  Unannotated image.