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.
RECENT ARTICLES
2022, February 23: Morning Planets, Moon, Evening Letter
February 23, 2022: Brilliant Morning Star Venus and Mars are in the south before sunup, while the moon is in the south. The bright stars of winter make a letter in the night sky.
Keep reading
2022, February 22: Moon Covers Star, Evening Little Dog
February 22, 2022: The moon covers Zubenelgenubi before sunrise. Venus and Mars are in the southeast before sunup. Canis Minor is in the southern sky during early evening hours.
Keep reading
2022, February 21: Morning Planet Ballet, Evening Dog
February 21, 2022: Venus and Mars dance in the southeastern sky before sunrise. The bright moon is near Spica. During the evening the Dog Star is in the southern sky.
Keep readingCategories: Astronomy, Sky Watching
Leave a Reply