2024, January 22: Winter Goodbye to Mercury 

January 22, 2024: We bid a winter “Goodbye” to Mercury as it descends into brighter twilight. Venus guides the way to the elusive planet. Jupiter, Saturn, and Moon are visible after sundown. 

Moon in the Bull's Horns. October 8, 2020
Photo Caption – 2020, October 8: Among the stars along the ecliptic, the gibbous moon, overexposed and behind the tree leaves, is 3.3° to the upper left of Zeta Tauri (ζ Tau), the Southern Horn of Taurus, and nearly 7° to the lower left of Elnath, the Northern Horn.

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by Jeffrey L. Hunt 

Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:12 a.m. CST; Sunset, 4:53 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 

Goodbye Mercury

Winter goodbye to mercury - 2024, January 22: Venus, Mercury, and Antares are in the southeast before daybreak.
Chart Caption – 2024, January 22: Venus, Mercury, and Antares are in the southeast before daybreak.

Try to locate Mercury this morning for the last easily observed appearance for this apparition. The planet is quite bright; only Venus is brighter this morning, but by a substantial amount.  

At forty-five minutes before daybreak, the planet is less than 5° above the southeast horizon. Find a clear view of the horizon in that direction. A hilltop or other elevated structure helps the view. 

Use a binocular to initially locate the planet. Then look for it without any optical assistance. 

Venus Guides the Way

To find Mercury, locate brilliant Venus, over 10° above the southeast horizon. The Morning Star is lower each morning at this time interval before sunrise. You may have to look around any obstruction that blocks the view. 

Mercury is 11.2° to the lower left of Venus and the gap between them is too large to fit them into the same binocular field of view. 

The speedy planet is lower in the sky each morning and it can be tracked into brighter twilight with a binocular. For most sky watchers, we say, “Goodbye, to Mercury,” for this appearance. 

Look for Antares, the Scorpion’s heart, nearly 20° to the upper right of Venus. 

Mars

Mars rises about an hour before sunrise. Mars aficionados get their first view of the Red Planet, when Mercury passes by in less than a week. The view is challenging, but the conjunction is a close one. 

Evening Sky 

Bright Moon Approaches Full Phase

2024, January 22: The bright moon is in the eastern sky after sunset, to the left of the Bull’s horns. The lunar orb is in front of Gemini.
Chart Caption – 2024, January 22: The bright moon is in the eastern sky after sunset, to the left of the Bull’s horns. The lunar orb is in front of Gemini.

The bright gibbous moon, 93% illuminated, is less than halfway up in the east as darkness falls. The lunar orb is in front of Gemini. The intensity of the moonlight obliterates all but the brightest stars as the Full (Wolf) moon phase approaches. 

Look for the Bull’s horns nearby, but a binocular might be necessary. Elnath, also known as Beta Tauri, is nearly 9° to the moon’s upper right, while Zeta Tauri, the second horn, is a little farther away to the moon’s right. 

Jupiter

2024, January 22: Bright Jupiter is high in the south during the early evening hours.
Chart Caption – 2024, January 22: Bright Jupiter is high in the south during the early evening hours.

At an hour after sundown, bright Jupiter is high in the southern sky. It is 11.1° to the lower left of Hamal, Aries’ brightest star, and 14.1° to the upper right of Menkar, part of Cetus. The Jovian Giant is slowly moving eastward in front of the Ram and approaching an imaginary line between the two stars.  

Hamal might be visible without a binocular, but use one to find Menkar. 

Saturn

2024, January 21: An hour after sunset, Saturn is about 20° up in the southwest.
Chart Caption – 2024, January 21: An hour after sunset, Saturn is about 20° up in the southwest.

At this time interval after sunset, Saturn is lower in the western sky each evening. The planet, dimmer than Jupiter, but brighter than most stars this evening, is less than 20° above the horizon.  

Find the star Fomalhaut, over 5° above the horizon and nearly 20° Saturn’s lower left. In a few evenings, the star disappears behind the atmospheric haze that dims and blurs celestial objects. 

Look for Jupiter, Saturn, and Moon after sundown. Venus sparkles in the morning sky as we bid a winter goodbye to Mercury. 

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