March 14, 2021: Jupiter and Saturn are low in the southeastern sky before sunrise. Look for them about 45 minutes before sunrise.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:04 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 6:57 p.m. CDT. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times for your location.
Daylight Saving Time began for most of the USA and Canada during the night. Our clocks are now one hour ahead of the sun and astronomy. This shifts some of the excess daylight until evening hours. During late May, June, and early July, there is considerable sunshine during the morning hours as well.
While the clock time changed, the time intervals for the observations remain the same.
Forty-five minutes before sunrise, Saturn and Jupiter are low in the southeastern sky. Jupiter is the brighter of the pair, but it is lower.
At this hour, Saturn is over 9° in altitude. Jupiter is 9.7° to the lower left of Saturn, but it is only 5° up in the sky.
Detailed Note: Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. CST when the clocks are advanced to 3 a.m. CDT. The time interval in these notes remain the same. Forty-five minutes before sunrise, Saturn and Jupiter are low in the southeastern sky. Saturn is over 9° in altitude and brighter Jupiter is over 5° up in the sky, 9.7° to the lower left of Saturn. Thirty minutes after sunset, the thin crescent moon (1.6d, 2%) is about 9° above the western horizon. As the sky darkens further, over 55° in altitude in the west-southwest, Mars is below a line that connects Aldebaran and extends through Epsilon Tauri (ε Tau, m = 3.5). Tomorrow, Mars is on that line. Mars continues its eastward march. This evening, use a binocular to locate κ Tau and υ Tau, to the upper left of Mars. Mars is 2.2° and 2.4° to the lower right of the stars, respectively.
Read more about the planets during March 2021.
2021, December 28: Andromeda High in South
December 28, 2021: The Great Andromeda Galaxy is nearly overhead at the end of the evening twilight.
2021, December 29: Moon Nears Scorpion, Venus Departs
December 29, 2021: The morning crescent moon approaches Scorpius and Mars. In the evening sky, four evening planets – Venus, Mercury, Saturn, and Jupiter – are lined up in the southwest. Venus is rapidly leaving the evening sky.
2021, November 28: Evening Planets on Parade
November 28, 2021: During twilight this evening, the three bright evening planets – Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter – are on parade in the southwestern sky.
2021, December 28: Venus Slips, Mercury Hops
December 28, 2021: Brilliant Venus is quickly slipping from the evening sky. Mercury appears beneath Venus after sunset. This duo is joined by Jupiter and Saturn. In the morning, Mars is near Antares and the moon near Spica.
2021, December 27: Mars – Antares Conjunction
December 27, 2021: The Red Planet Mars passes Antares this morning before sunrise. At the same hour, the moon is near Spica. The three bright planets – Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter – are in the evening sky.
Categories: Astronomy, Sky Watching
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