November 24, 2020: Brilliant Morning Star Venus is visible in the east-southeast as the morning’s sunrise approaches. It is appearing slightly lower this morning. Mercury is visible low in the east-southeast about 45 minutes before sunrise. This speedy planet is ending its best morning appearance of 2020.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:52 a.m. CST; Sunset, 4:23 p.m. CST. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times for your location.
Venus continues to sparkle low in the east-southeast before sunrise. It is nearly 15° up in the east-southeast an hour before sunrise. As twilight brightens, Mercury is near the horizon to the lower left of the star Zubenelgenubi.
Venus rises about 2 hours, 30 minutes before sunrise, while Mercury rises about 75 minutes before the sun. The plane of the solar system continues to make a fairly high angle with the horizon to easily display the two planets closest to the sun. Mercury is only 14° from the sun, while Venus is over double that angular separation from our central star.
On the chart, Venus is 1.6° to the upper right of Kappa Virginis (κ Vir).
Detailed note: One hour before sunrise, brilliant Venus is nearly 15° up in the east-southeast, 1.6° to the upper right of κ Vir. Forty-five minutes before sunrise, Mercury is over 4° in altitude in the east-southeast, 15.0° to the lower left of Venus. Mercury is 3.4° to the lower left of Zubenelgenubi.
See our summary about Venus during November 2020 and the feature article about Venus as a Morning Star.
Read more about the planets during November.
2021, October 23: Morning Moon Near Pleiades
October 23, 2021: This morning the bright moon is near the Pleiades star cluster. Mercury is making its best morning appearance. In the evening sky, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn are easy to spot.
2021, October 22, Mercury’s Morning Best, Arcturus
October 22. 2021: Speedy Mercury is low in the east before sunrise. It is putting on its best morning performance of the year. Arcturus, in the east-northeast, is about the same altitude as Mercury.
2021, October 21 – November 1: Venus Steps Through Ophiuchus
October 21-November 1, 2021: Brilliant Venus steps through Ophiuchus to the upper left of the star Antares in the southwest after sunset . Afterward, the planet steps farther eastward.
2021, October 21, Bright Morning Moon, Mercury, Evening Planet Pack
October 21, 2021: The bright moon is low in the west about an hour before sunrise. Mercury is in the east at about the same altitude as Arcturus. Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter shine from the evening sky.
2021, December 18: James Webb Space Telescope Launch
December 18, 2021: This is the anticipated launch date of the James Webb Space Telescope, the largest and most sophisticated space telescope view the universe.
Categories: Astronomy, Sky Watching
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