November 28, 2021: During twilight this evening, the three bright evening planets – Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter – are on parade in the southwestern sky.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
This evening as night fell, the three bright evening planets – Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter – were on parade in the southwestern sky.
Brilliant Venus is in its interval of greatest brightness. At about 5 p.m. CST in Chicago, the Evening Star was about 16° up in the southwest.
Through a small telescope, Venus is displaying an evening crescent, 30% illuminated.
Dimmer Saturn was 19.7° to the upper left of Venus.
Bright Jupiter was 16.3° to the upper left of the Ringed Wonder.
Venus continues to close in on Saturn until December 16. All three planets are moving eastward compared to the plane of the solar system and to the background stars. Jupiter is in eastern Capricornus, while Saturn is nearing the central part of that constellation. Venus is moving eastward in Sagittarius.
Until the end of the year, look for this planetary trio lined up in the southwestern sky after sunset.
RECENT PODCASTS
RECENT ARTICLES
2022, February 25: Venus, Mars, Moon, Dipper
February 25, 2022: The crescent moon joins Morning Star Venus and Mars before sunrise. During the evening the Big Dipper is in the northeast.
Keep reading
2022, February 24: Stellar Properties, Morning Planets, Moon
February 24, 2022: Venus, Mars and the moon are in the morning sky. A stellar sample of stars is visible in the southern sky after sunset.
Keep reading
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 readingCategories: Astronomy, Sky Watching
Leave a Reply