2023, November 2: Spica Heliacal Rising, Brilliant Venus

November 2, 2023: Spica is making its first morning appearance after its solar conjunction last month.  Brilliant Venus is to the upper right of the star.

Venus, Mars, Jupiter, November 2, 2015
Photo Caption – 2015, November 2: Venus, Jupiter, Mars before sunrise.

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by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Chicago, Illinois:  Sunrise, 7:24 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 5:44 p.m. CDT.  Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program.

Summaries of Current Sky Events
Summary for Venus as a Morning Star, 2023-24

Here is today’s planet forecast:

Morning Sky

2023, November 2: The moon is near Castor’s foot before sunrise.
Chart Caption – 2023, November 2: The moon is near Castor’s foot before sunrise.

An hour before sunrise, the bright gibbous moon, 77% illuminated, is high in the south-southwest.  It is near Castor’s foot, with the heel identified as Tejat Posterior.  Castor is nearly 15° to the upper left of the lunar orb.  His twin, Pollux, is nearby to the left.  Look for Capella, the bright star over 20° to the right of the moon.

2023, November 2: Bright Jupiter and Spica are in the eastern sky before sunrise.
Chart Caption – 2023, November 2: Bright Jupiter and Spica are in the eastern sky before sunrise.

At this hour bright Jupiter is over 10° above the western horizon.  It is noticeably west of an imaginary line from Hamal, Aries’ brightest star, and Menkar, Cetus’ nostril.  The two stars are challenging to see with this moonlight.  Use a binocular.

Jupiter’s retrograde motion against the starfield is demonstrated for 2023.
Chart Caption – Jupiter’s retrograde motion against the starfield is demonstrated for 2023.

As Jupiter approaches opposition after midnight early tomorrow morning, it retrogrades – appears to move westward compared to the starfield.  The planet is in the sky nearly all night.

2023, November 2: Brilliant Venus is in the east-southeast as Spica makes its first morning appearance.
Chart Caption – 2023, November 2: Brilliant Venus is in the east-southeast as Spica makes its first morning appearance.

Farther eastward, brilliant Venus stands over 30° up in the east-southeast.  It steps eastward in front of Leo, crossing into Virgo’s boundaries tomorrow morning.

This morning Spica is making its first morning appearance.  At forty-five minutes before sunrise, it is about 5° above the east-southeast horizon and over 30° to the lower left of Venus.

Venus steps quickly in front of Virgo’s stars.  It passes Spica in a wide conjunction on the 29th.  Watch Venus appear closer to the distant star each morning.  In particular watch the gap close beginning a week before the conjunction when the planet is within 10° of the star.

Evening Sky

Mercury and Mars are not visible.  They appear too close to the sun for easy observation.

2023, November 2: Saturn is in the south-southeast after nightfall, east of Deneb Algedi and west of Skat and Lambda Aquarii (λ Aqr).
Chart Caption – 2023, November 2: Saturn is in the south-southeast after nightfall, east of Deneb Algedi and west of Skat and Lambda Aquarii (λ Aqr).

An hour after sundown, Saturn is over 30° up in the south-southeast.  It is noticeably dimmer than Venus and Jupiter, but brighter than most of the stars in the sky tonight.

Saturn’s retrograde – apparent westward movement compared to the distant stars – is depicted during four and one-half months.
Chart Caption – Saturn’s retrograde – apparent westward movement compared to the distant stars – is depicted during four and one-half months.

The Ringed Wonder is nearing the end of its retrograde in front of Aquarius and near the border with Capricornus.  This evening, the planet is 6.7° to the upper left of Deneb Algedi, meaning “the kid’s tail.”

After retrograde ends, the planet does not appear to move eastward much for the next several days.  Then it picks up speed and begins to shrink the gap to Skat, the Aquarian’s leg, and Lambda Aquarii (λ Aqr on the chart).  From urban and suburban settings use a binocular to find these two stars, about 11° to the left of Saturn.

2023, November 2: An hour after sundown, Jupiter is in the eastern sky.
Chart Caption – 2023, November 2: An hour after sundown, Jupiter is in the eastern sky.

At this hour, Jupiter, rising a few minutes after nightfall, is over 10° up in the east.  It is south around midnight and low in the west tomorrow morning. 

Earth passes precisely between the planet and the sun a few minutes after midnight.

2023, November 2: Five hours after sundown, the gibbous moon is near Castor and Pollux.
Chart Caption – 2023, November 2: Five hours after sundown, the gibbous moon is near Castor and Pollux.

The moon rises about four hours after sundown.  An hour later, it is in the east-northeast, 6.6° to the right of Castor.  During morning twilight tomorrow, it is high in the southwest, near Pollux.

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