March 4, 2022: Two mornings, before their second conjunction of three, brilliant Venus and Mars, are in the southeast before sunrise. The thin evening moon is visible in the west-southwest after sunset.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:21 a.m. CST; Sunset, 5:45 p.m. CST. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times for your location.
Morning Sky
SUMMARY OF PLANETS IN 2022 MORNING SKY
In two mornings, brilliant Venus passes Mars. Today at 45 minutes before sunrise, Morning star Venus is about 15° above the southeast horizon. The Red Planet is 4.7° to the lower right of the brilliant planet.
A binocular may be necessary to be sure that you are seeing Mars. Both planets fit into a binocular field of view.
Evening Sky
A thin crescent moon is visible in the west-southwest after sunset. The lunar slice is over 16° above the west-southwest horizon at 45 minutes after sunset. The phase is slim, only 6% illuminated. The moon is among the dim stars of Cetus, the Sea Monster.
Use a binocular to see earthshine on the moon. This is reflected sunlight from Earth’s oceans, clouds, and land that gently illuminates the night portion of the lunarscape.
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- 2023, October 23: Venus at Greatest Elongation
October 23, 2023: Venus moves to its farthest angular distance from the sun today, known as greatest elongation. During morning twilight, the Morning Star passes Leo’s Chertan. - 2023, October 22: Moon Approaches Saturn
October 22, 2023: During evening hours, the gibbous moon nears Saturn in the southern sky. Venus and Jupiter are visible during morning twilight. - 2023, October 21: Three Bright Planets, First Quarter Moon
October 21, 2023: Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn are easy to locate during nighttime hours. The First Quarter moon phase occurs this evening. - 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.
