2023, November 6: Venus at Corner, Morning Moon

Astronomy, Sky Watching

November 6, 2023: This morning is the Venus-Zavijava conjunction.  The thick crescent moon is near the Sickle of Leo.

Venus, Mercury, Spica, and Moon, November 13, 2020
2020, November 13: Sparkling Venus – nearly 18° up in the east-southeast – is 8.1° to the upper right of the old moon and 5.5° to the upper left of Spica. The lunar crescent is 6.9° to the lower left of Spica and 5.1° above Mercury.

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by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Chicago, Illinois:  Sunrise, 6:29 a.m. CST; Sunset, 4:39 p.m. CST.  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 6: Venus stands far to the upper right of Spica in the east-southeast before daybreak.
Chart Caption – 2023, November 6: Venus stands far to the upper right of Spica in the east-southeast before daybreak.

Brilliant Venus is about 30° up in the east-southeast at one hour before sunrise.  Rising a few minutes less than four hours before sunrise, this is the last morning the Morning Star rises at this time interval before daybreak.  By month’s end the planet loses nearly fifteen minutes of rising time.

Venus is stepping in front of Virgo, nearly 27° to the upper right of Spica, the constellation’s brightest star.  Each morning Venus is closer to the star.

2023, November 6: Through a binocular Venus is to the lower left of Zavijava, also known as Beta Virginis.
Chart Caption – 2023, November 6: Through a binocular Venus is to the lower left of Zavijava, also known as Beta Virginis.

This morning, Venus passes 0.5° to the lower left of Zavijava, meaning “the corner of the barking dog.” Use a binocular to easily see the planet and the star together.

2023, November 6: Venus and the thick crescent moon are in the eastern sky before sunrise.
Chart Caption – 2023, November 6: Venus and the thick crescent moon are in the eastern sky before sunrise.

The moon, 39% illuminated, is over 30° to the upper right of Venus.  The moon is with the Sickle of Leo, 2.0° to the upper right of Eta Leonis (η Leo on the chart).  The moon occults or eclipses the star later today for sky watchers in French Polynesia.

Jupiter is low in the western sky at this hour, after its all-night celestial western trek.

Evening Sky

Mercury and Mars are not visible.  They are in the sun’s bright light.

2023, November 6: Saturn is in the south-southeast an hour after sundown.
Chart Caption – 2023, November 6: Saturn is in the south-southeast an hour after sundown.

Saturn is about 30° up in the south-southeast at one hour after sunset.  It is east of Deneb Algedi, Capricornus’ tail, and west of Skat and Lambda Aquarii (λ Aqr on the chart).

2023, November 6: Jupiter is in the eastern sky two hours after sunset.
Chart Caption – 2023, November 6: Jupiter is in the eastern sky two hours after sunset.

At this time, Jupiter is over 10° up in the eastern sky.  By two hours after sundown, the Jovian Giant is nearly 25° above the eastern horizon.  It retrogrades in front of Aries.  The planet is noticeably west of an imaginary line from Hamal to Menkar. 

During the night, Jupiter is farther westward.  It is south around midnight, and in the western sky before sunrise.

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