What is the star or planet which is the brightest object in the UK night sky at ESE 30deg?

Watching from near London at 2:30am (meridian, 0.1deg long, 52deg lat) its East South East, moon is a due East and almost 10 deg lower. Moon will get closer to it and get higher as the night goes on. Guess its magnitude is @ -2.5, but it can't be Venus as isn't that always the "morning star" ?