After several mornings of cloudy weather, clear skies return to the Chicago area this morning in this image made at 6:30 a.m. CST. (Click the image to see it larger.) Brilliant Venus is now rising during twilight as it appears low in the southeastern sky. Saturn is higher in the sky, about 30 degrees to the upper right of Venus. Spica is farther south, nearly 45 degrees to the upper right of Venus. Compare this morning’s view with the sky on December 13, when Mercury was visible.
Venus continues to rise in bright twilight as it nears superior conjunction next year. It shines brightly from the gently illuminated twilight sky, but it appears slightly lower each morning.
For our monthly sky watching posting, click here. Read more about Venus as a Morning Star.