March 7, 2022: After yesterday’s conjunction, Venus continues to close in on Mars. The crescent moon is near the Pleiades star cluster after sundown.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:16 a.m. CST; Sunset, 5:48 p.m. CST. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times for your location.
Morning Sky
SUMMARY OF PLANETS IN 2022 MORNING SKY
Brilliant Venus is nearly 15° above the southeast horizon at 45 minutes before sunup. Mars is 4.4° to the lower right of Earth’s Twin planet. The Red Planet is over 10° above the horizon. Use a binocular to initially locate Mars. Both planets fit into the same field of view.
Yesterday, Venus passed Mars in the third conjunction of a triple conjunction series. Venus is moving closer to the plane of the solar system and to Mars. On March 16, Venus closes to 3.9° of the Red Planet for a close approach or minimum separation. There is no conjunction. Venus is east of Mars and they do not have the same celestial longitude.
This morning Venus steps into Capricornus. Mars marched into the constellation yesterday.
Evening Sky
The crescent moon, 27% illuminated is over halfway up in the west-southwest after sundown. Notice the Pleiades star cluster, about 11° above the lunar slice.
Aldebaran, the brightest star in Taurus, is over 20° to the upper left of the crescent.
Tomorrow evening, the moon and the Pleiades fit into the same binocular field.
RECENT PODCASTS
RECENT ARTICLES
2022, June 21: Evening Planet Parade Visibility, Summer Solstice
June 21, 2022: How frequently are the five bright planets visible in their order from the sun after sundown? Five the morning planet parade in the eastern sky before sunrise.
Keep reading
2022, June 20: Morning Planet Parade Visibility
June 20, 2022: How frequently are the five bright planets visible in their order from the sun before daybreak? These planets are in this order in the eastern sky before sunrise.
Keep reading
2022, June 19: Planet Order Frequency, Moon Identifies Planets
June 19, 2022: How frequently are the five bright planets in order from the sun to create a morning or evening planet parade. The five planets are in the sky before daybreak.
Keep reading