Stuck inside this evening? Argus columnist Jon Powell sets out some of the amazing sights you can see in the night sky from your own back garden.

THIS evening presents an excellent chance to see the planet Venus positioned in front of a cluster of stars.

Looking over to the west after sunset Friday evening, you'll spot what appears to be a very bright star - this is in fact Venus, the second planet travelling outwards from the Sun after Mercury.

Venus is unmistakable as a dazzling object which will remain above the horizon for some three hours before eventually setting, so plenty of time to catch sight of our nearest planetary neighbour in space.

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Remember, Venus cannot generate its own light - what we are seeing is reflected sunlight off a dense layer of clouds which makes Venus, after the Moon, the brightest object in the night sky.

The reason for the dense cloud layers lie behind the planet's runaway climate, indeed, this is what the greenhouse effect can eventually lead to - an uninhabitable planet with a choking atmosphere, and temperatures reaching 475 degrees.

Once you've found Venus, note the fuzzy, misty patch it seems to be sitting in front of - this is the Pleiades star cluster.

The cluster consists some 3,000 stars with several of stars making for a 'big dipper' type of shape in the night sky.

The haziness is caused by the gas and dust left over from their creation millions of years ago.

How many stars can you see in the cluster?

The Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters, Seven Maidens, or Seven Little Girls, has many bright stars clearly visible without a telescope or binoculars.

Most people can see between five and seven of these bright stars but some claim under good, clear, dark skies, to see even more, some say 14 or even more.

If you do have a pair of binoculars, have a sweep through the cluster, you won't be disappointed.

How far away is Venus, and how far away are the Pleiades?

The distance between Venus and the Earth varies greatly, but at present, Venus is about 61 million miles away.

The Pleiades, which appear to be behind Venus, are much, much further - they are a whopping 442 light years distant. (One light year equals six trillion miles).