December 25-31, 2020: Venus slowly slides into bright morning twilight. It is the bright star in the southeast before sunrise. Venus is to the upper left of the star Antares. During the week, the gap widens as Venus appears lower and Antares is higher in the sky.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Find Venus low in the southeast about 45 minutes before sunrise. It is to the upper left of Antares, the Rival of Mars, that is making its first appearance in the morning sky before sunrise (heliacal rising).
The gap between Venus and Antares opens about 5° during the week.
The brilliant Morning Star is the lone bright planet in the morning sky. It rises 2-3 minutes later each morning so it appears lower in the sky during morning twilight. It also continues its eastward trek compared to the starry background.
Antares appears higher each morning because it rises about 4 minutes early each morning.
By New Year’s Eve morning, Venus appears lower in the sky and Antares is higher in the sky.
Find an unobstructed horizon toward the southeast to locate the planet and the star. The star may be twinkling wildly, the effects of the atmosphere when a bright star is low in the sky.
See our summary about Venus during December 2020 and the feature article about Venus as a Morning Star.
Read more about the planets during December.
2021, April 25: Mercury-Venus Conjunction, Mars, Bright Moon
April 25, 2021: Mercury passes Evening Star Venus this evening after sunset. Look low in the western sky about 20 minutes after sunset. Mars is marching eastward in Gemini, near the star cluster Messier 35. The bright moon is near Spica.
2021, April 25: Morning Planets, Jupiter, Saturn in Southeast
April 25, 2021: Morning planets Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeast before sunrise. Jupiter is in front of the stars of Aquarius, while Saturn’s starry background is Capricornus.
2021, April 24: Evening Star, Bright Mercury, Venus, Mars, Gibbous Moon
April 24, 2021: Brilliant Evening Star Venus and bright Mercury are entering the evening sky. They are low in the west-northwest during evening twilight. The bright moon is in the southeast in Virgo. Mars moves into Gemini as it approaches the star cluster Messier 35.
2021, April 24: Lunar Occultation, Morning Planets, Jupiter Saturn
April 24, 2021: The bright gibbous moon is near a star in Virgo during the early morning. From parts of the Western Hemisphere, the moon covers the star. Before sunrise, bright morning planets, Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeast before sunrise.
2021, April 23: Evening Star Venus, Mercury, Mars, Moon
April 23, 2021: Evening Star Venus and Mercury are entering the evening sky. They are found very low in the west-northwest after sunset. The bright moon is in the southeastern sky during the early evening. Mars is moving toward the star cluster Messier 35.
Categories: Astronomy, Sky Watching
Venus sure is low! Nice to see when I get up in the morning!
Its pretty seeing it in the morning. Just look at Venus around 6-7am. 7:31am is the best time to see Venus.
Yes, depending on your location in your time zone. Check the time of your local sunrise and look about 45 minutes before the sun appears. During late December, the planet is low in the southeast.