On Monday, across the United States people gathered just after sunset to see a rare sight: Jupiter, Venus and Luna – our moon – lined up in what appeared to the Northern Hemisphere a frown drawn by the two planets as the eyes and the moon’s crescent as the mouth. The event has already happened in the Southern Hemisphere, but there it appeared more like a smiley face.

Now if you missed the event on Monday night, Tuesday you’ll get another chance at it. Even if slightly dimmer in luminance, the astronomical display will be visible that night one hour after sunset in the direction of southwest near the horizon.

Just as the night before, a crescent moon will then be visible, with Jupiter, Venus and the moon forming a triangle with Jupiter set above Venus.

The whole affair will only last a few hours, after which the moon and the two planetary “eyes” dip below the horizon. Even if you miss it again, it will still be partially visible for a few more days.

Failing that, it will take more than 40 years for unpunctual stargazers to see this spectacle again. The two planets won’t meet the moon again so closely until November 2052. In March 2012 however, Venus and Jupiter will be seen together in a similarly bright show in March of 2012.

So if you have an appreciation for rare and beautiful sights, but more mundane tasks have kept you from seeing this one on Monday, check it out today. Who knows, perhaps you’ll get to see a shooting star near the “face” as well, thus making the picture all the more beautiful and unique.