2021: The Morning Sky
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
During 2021 the morning sky has limited planetary activity. Early in the year, Venus disappears into the sun’s bright twilight. It does not appear in the morning sky for the remainder of the year. After their great conjunction, Saturn and Jupiter return to the morning sky after their conjunctions with the sun. Mercury makes three morning appearances. The best occurs with the speedy planet rises at the beginning of morning twilight during late October. The moon makes monthly passes through the morning sky. As the year ends, Mars becomes visible in the eastern sky before sunrise.
Some Highlights
- During February Venus passes Saturn and Jupiter in difficult-to see conjunctions.
- March 9: Look for the moon, Jupiter and Saturn.
- July 8: The moon, Mercury, and Zeta Tauri are near each other.
- October 3: The moon passes Regulus.
- November 3: The moon, Mercury and Spica are grouped together.
- November 10: Mercury and Mars appear close together.
The Chart
The chart above shows rising of the naked-eye planets, moon, and bright stars near the ecliptic for 2021. The graphs display the rising of these celestial bodies compared to sunrise and sunset for time intervals up to five hours before the sun’s appearance. The three phases of twilight are displayed as well. On the rising chart, activity occurs in the eastern sky, except for the setting curves (circles) of Jupiter and Saturn.
It should be noted that when two objects rise at the same time intervals after sunset (same clock time), they are not necessarily near each other. It merely means that they rise or set at the same time interval after sunset or rise at the same time interval before sunrise. Since the charts feature objects’ activities near the ecliptic, they are likely to be up to 10° apart. For example, on the morning of March 9, 2021, the moon and Saturn rise at nearly the same time interval, 100 minutes before sunrise. The moon rising circle nearly coincides with the Saturn rising line. The waning crescent moon, though is 7.8° to the right of the Ringed Wonder that morning
The charts are calculated from data by the U.S. Naval Observatory, for Chicago, Illinois.
LATEST ARTICLES
- 2023, October 20: Jupiter’s Double Shadows, Mercury at Superior Conjunction
October 20: After midnight, Jupiter’s moons’ shadows dance across the cloud tops. Mercury is at superior conjunction. - 2023, October 19: Poured Moon, See Planet Uranus
October 19: Sagittarius seems to pour the moon into the sky this evening. Find Uranus with a binocular. - 2023, October 18: Moon-Antares Conjunction, Bright Planets
October 18, 2023: The moon is near Antares after sunset. Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn are in the sky during the nighttime hours. - 2023, October 17: Scorpion Moon
October 17, 2023: The crescent moon is with Scorpius during evening twilight. Venus and Jupiter gleam from the predawn sky. - 2023, October 16: Venus in Starry Conjunction
October 16, 2023: Venus passes a star in Leo before sunrise. A crescent moon is low in the western sky during evening twilight.
