2020, October 13: Moon Above Venus

Astronomy, Sky Watching
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Venus and Moon in Leo, October 13, 2020
2020, October 13: The moon (26.0 days past New moon phase, 16% illuminated) – nearly 33° up in the east – is 8.8° above Venus, 24.0° up in the east. The crescent is 5.9° to the lower left of Regulus.

A beautiful crescent moon appears above Venus in the morning sky before sunrise on October 13, 2020.

by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Look eastward on the morning of October 13 for a beautiful crescent moon above brilliant Venus.

The chart above shows the pair along with the star Regulus (in Leo) about an hour before sunrise.

2020, October 13: The moon (26.0 days past New moon phase, 16% illuminated) – nearly 33° up in the east – is 8.8° above Venus, 24.0° up in the east. The crescent is 5.9° to the lower left of Regulus.

Venus rises at about 4 a.m. local time, about 3 hours before sunrise.  The moon rises about an hour earlier than Venus.  As morning twilight begins, the moon, Venus and the starry background rise higher into the sky.

See our summary about Venus during October 2020 and the feature article  about Venus as a Morning Star.

If the sky is exceptionally clear, it might be easy to follow Venus and the moon in the eastern sky after sunrise.

On the accompanying chart, the moon is 26.0 days past the New moon phase and 16% illuminated. The lunar crescent is 8.8° above Venus and 5.9° to the lower left of Regulus.

Photographers can capture “earthshine” on the night portion of the moon with time exposures of a few seconds or more, along with the hues of twilight.

Find the moon and Venus tomorrow (October 14, 2020).

Read more about the planets during October.

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