That's Venus.
first quarter moon http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=moon+8pm+december+5+2008
it is tonight,the full moon of dec,2008,the largest and bright moon of this year,nearest moon from earth......
Right from moon? It appears as if a moon but big in size.
Neptune, the furthest planet from the sun.
In late December 2007, the star closest to the moon in the eastern sky at dusk would have been Aldebaran, a bright orange giant in the constellation Taurus. Aldebaran is often seen near the moon due to its proximity in the sky and its brightness.
To an observer anywhere outside the atmosphere of a planet, including on the moon, the sky appears black everywhere except where a star or illuminated body appears.
The planet that often appears close to the crescent moon is Venus, known as the "evening star." However, depending on the time of year and your location, other planets or stars may also be visible near the moon.
The bright celestial object next to the Moon in the southern sky in December 2008 was likely the planet Venus. Venus is one of the brightest objects in the night sky and is often visible near the Moon, especially during its evening appearances.
Waxing crescent moon - The moon appears to be partly but less than one-half full
The white planet close to Earth is the Moon. It is Earth's only natural satellite, and its surface appears white due to the reflection of sunlight off its rocky, dust-covered surface.
AS the moon is in its phases and appears in full (full moon) our planet earth is somewhat away from the connecting line between the moon and and the sun. so it appears to us as full moon. during this phase if our planet earth comes across the line of sight between the moon and the sun, it shadows upon the surface of the moon. we call this phenomina as lunar eclipse.
In September 2009, the star or planet that appeared near the moon in the southern sky would likely have been the planet Jupiter. Jupiter is often visible to the naked eye and appears as a bright object near the moon in the night sky.