2024, February 14: Lovely February Evening Jupiter-Moon Conjunction

February 14, 2024: Look for the February evening Jupiter-Moon conjunction after sundown in the southwest.

Jupiter, Saturn and the moon, November 18, 2020
Photo Caption – 2020, November 18: The crescent moon is low in the southwest, 6.8° to the lower right of Jupiter. Saturn is 3.4° to the upper left of Jupiter.

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by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:48 a.m. CST; Sunset, 5:22 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

Venus

2024, February 14: Venus is low in the east-southeast before sunrise.
Chart Caption – 2024, February 14: Venus is low in the east-southeast before sunrise.

Brilliant Venus shines from low in the east-southeast before sunrise. At forty-five minutes before daybreak, the Morning Star is over 5° above the horizon, likely behind a neighborhood obstruction.  Find a clear horizon in the planet’s direction.

Venus is slowly moving toward a solar conjunction on June 4.  Unlike most other celestial bodies, it can be seen when it is close to the horizon and during brighter twilight.  It is easily tracked until mid-spring.

Venus and Mars

2024, February 14: Venus and Mars appear in the same binocular field of view during bright morning twilight.
Chart Caption – 2024, February 14: Venus and Mars appear in the same binocular field of view during bright morning twilight.

Venus is overtaking Mars, that continues to emerge from bright sunlight.  At thirty minutes before daybreak and through a binocular, Venus is 3.7° to the upper right of the Red Planet. 

Mars is dimmer than expected. Place Venus toward the upper right of the field of view.  Mars is to the lower left.

Venus passes Mars on the 22nd.

Mercury

Mercury is bathed in bright sunlight as it moves toward superior conjunction on the 28th.  At this time, the sun is between the speedy planet and Earth.

Mercury is heading toward its best evening appearance of the year for northern hemisphere sky watchers. On March 24th, it sets at the end of evening twilight.  At forty-five minutes after sundown, the innermost planet stands nearly 10° up in the west and over 20° to the lower right of Jupiter.

Evening Sky

Saturn

Saturn is at solar conjunction on the same day as Mercury.  This evening the Ringed Wonder is dimmed and blurred by the atmosphere. When looking for Saturn, planet’s light travels through a thicker layer of air, challenging our view.

February Evening Jupiter-Moon Conjunction

February Evening Jupier-Moon Conjunction
Chart Caption – 2024, February 14: Jupiter and the crescent moon are in the southwest after sundown.

Don’t miss this evening’s Jupiter-Moon conjunction in the southwestern sky after sundown.  One hour after nightfall, the lunar crescent, 32% illuminated, is over halfway up in the sky, 4.6° to the lower right of Jupiter.  With the Pleiades star cluster to the upper left, this is a picturesque view.

The moon may show some earthshine, a soft light between the lunar cusps or horns from sunlight reflected from Earth’s features. The moon is bright enough to illuminate terrestrial features to cast shadows.

February Evening Moon Conjunction
Chart Caption – 2024, February 14: Jupiter and the crescent moon appear in the same binocular field of view.

Jupiter and the moon appear in the same binocular field of view.  Hold the binocular steadily to see up to four of Jupiter’s largest moons. 

Great Red Spot

At 6:34 p.m. CST, Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is visible through a telescope at the center of the planet in the southern hemisphere.  Jupiter’s large moon Europa is visible near the planet’s eastern edge or limb.  About an hour later, the Red Spot is disappearing near the west edge of the planet and Europa is silhouetted against the center of Jupiter.  By 8:30 p.m., Europa is visible against the sky, but its shadow is projected against the planet.  At this hour, the planet is about 30° up in the west for Chicago area sky watchers, higher from locales farther westward.  During the next few hours watch the shadow slowly move across the dynamic cloud features as the planet sets in the west-northwest, at about the same time the moon sets.

Tomorrow evening, the nearly half-full moon is between Jupiter and the Pleiades star cluster and in the same binocular field with planet Uranus.

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