March 10, 2021: The crescent moon appears with Jupiter, Mercury, and Saturn during bright morning twilight in the east-southeast.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:10 a.m. CST; Sunset, 5:52 p.m. CST. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times for your location.
Morning Sky
This morning the crescent moon joins Saturn, Jupiter, and Mercury in the east-southeast before sunrise. The quartet can be found low in the sky between 45 and 30 minutes before sunrise. At the earlier time, Saturn is 8.0° above the east-southeast horizon. Jupiter is slowly moving away from Saturn. It is 9.2° to the lower left of the Ringed Wonder. Jupiter is the brighter of the two.
As the sky brightens, Jupiter, Mercury, and the lunar slice come into view. The thin crescent moon is only 9% illuminated. It appears 5.4° to the lower right of Jupiter.
Mercury is low in the sky as well, 4.4° to the lower left of Jupiter.
A binocular is necessary to see the morning grouping of the quartet as the sky brightens from the approaching sunrise.
Having a view of a clear, unobstructed horizon is important to see the morning planets and the moon.
Detailed Note: Forty-five minutes before sunrise, Saturn is 8.0° up in the east-southeast, Jupiter is 9.2° of ecliptic longitude east of Saturn. The Giant planet is nearly 4° in altitude. Fifteen minutes later, Jupiter is over 6° in altitude. Use a binocular to spot Mercury, 4.4° to the lower left of Jupiter. Mercury is only 4° in altitude. The thin crescent moon (26.7d, 9%) is nearly 4° in altitude, 5.4° to the lower right of Jupiter. One hour after sunset. Mars is 57.0° up in the west-southwest among the clustered starfields of Taurus. The planet is nicely placed to the right of Aldebaran and the Hyades, and to the upper left of the Pleiades. The planet is 0.3° above 37 Tau.
Read more about the planets during March 2021.
2021, August 14: Waxing Moon, Stellar Double
August 14, 2021: This evening the waxing moon is near Zubenelgenubi, the southern claw, that is a stellar double. Use a binocular to see both stars that are in a gravitation dance.
2021, August 13: Evening Sky, Bright Planets
August 13, 2021: This evening the crescent moon appears between Evening Star Venus and Spica as the lunar slice dances eastward. Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeastern sky.
2021, August 12: Evening Sky, Lunar Dance
August 12, 2021: This evening the crescent moon appears between Venus and Spica as the lunar slice dances eastward.
2021, August 11: Waxing Moon, Evening Star
August 11, 2021: The waxing crescent moon is to the upper left of Evening Star Venus this evening in the western sky.
2021, August 10: Evening Star Venus, Crescent Moon
August 10, 2021: The crescent moon is near Venus in the western sky after sunset.
Categories: Astronomy, Sky Watching
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