May 15, 2023: After sundown, a Moon-Regulus conjunction is visible high in the southwest. Mars and Saturn are in the eastern sky before sunup.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:30 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:05 p.m. CDT. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program.
The moon is at the evening half full or First Quarter phase at 6:48 a.m. Central Time, when the moon is below the horizon in the Americas.
Summaries of Current Sky Events
Summary for Venus as a Morning Star, 2023-24
Here is today’s planet forecast:
Morning Sky
Mars and Saturn
Mars and Saturn are visible before sunrise. Mars continues its eastward march and widens a gap between the two planets. Its brightness is highly variable during its apparition, dim when far from Earth and bright when closest. This morning it is far from our planet and dimmer than what might be expected.
At one hour before sunrise, the Red Planet is nearly 10° above the eastern horizon. It mixes with the hues of morning twilight, so use a binocular to identify it.
Saturn is easier to see, over 15° above the east-southeast and over 20° to Mars’ upper right. It is higher in the sky, somewhat above the brighter twilight and easier to see, although it is minusculely dimmer than Mars.
Venus and Mercury
Venus passes solar conjunction during early June, followed by a wide swing in the western evening sky after sundown. This morning it is heavily veiled in bright twilight.
Mercury is in the midst of a disappointing morning apparition for northern hemisphere sky watchers, while those in the southern hemisphere are easily seeing the planet.
One hour before sunrise from the northern hemisphere, the planet is less than 5° above the eastern horizon and hiding in pre-dawn’s bright light.
Evening Sky
Jupiter
Jupiter nears its solar conjunction, three days away. Then it moves west of the sun, rising in the east before sunrise. It becomes visible again about the time of the summer solstice.
Moon-Regulus Conjunction
The evening sky is without one of the five bright planets, although the slightly gibbous moon, 56% illuminated, is high in the southwest. 3.3° to the upper left of Regulus, Leo’s brightest star.
Leo’s stars are blotted out by the bright moonlight. To see them, either block the moon with your extended hand or use a binocular to trace the Lion’s pattern.
The Lion is visualized as westward facing. We see it in silhouette. The animal’s head is outlined by a backwards question mark, also known as the “Sickle of Leo,” resembling a farmer’s cutting implement. Its haunches and tail, dotted by Denebola, are made by a triangle, to the sickle’s east.
The moon sets around seven hours after sundown and after midnight.
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