Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars shine in the sky before sunrise today.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
This morning the three morning planets – Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars – appear in the sky from southeast to south. Bright Jupiter is about one-quarter of the way up in the south. This giant planet is 4.7° to the right of dimmer Saturn.
Both planets are retrograding. They appear to move westward compared to the starry back ground. During the next several weeks, watch them separate. Later this year, Jupiter passes Saturn in a Great Conjunction.
Meanwhile, Mars is in the southeast. It continues to move way from Jupiter and Saturn. This morning it is over 40° from Jupiter.
Next month, Venus joins this planetary trio.
For more details about the morning planets, read more here.
For our daily semi-technical description of May’s planet events, click here.