2024, May 24: Morning Planets, Mars, Saturn

May 24, 2023: Mars and Saturn are visible in the eastern sky before sunrise.  The moon is near Antares after the lunar occultation.

2022, March 28: A close bunching of Venus, Saturn, Mars, and the crescent moon.
Photo Caption – 2022, March 28: A close bunching of Venus, Saturn, Mars, and the crescent moon.

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by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:23 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:13 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

Morning Moon, Antares

2024, May 24: The moon is near Antares in the southwestern sky before sunrise.
Chart Caption – 2024, May 24: The moon is near Antares in the southwestern sky before sunrise.

The bright moon is in the southwestern sky after sundown.  After yesterday’s lunar occultation, Antares is nearby.  At one hour before sunrise, the lunar orb is nearly 10° up in the southwest and 3.0° to Antares’ upper left.

Morning Planets

2024, May 24: Mars, Saturn, and Fomalhaut are in the eastern sky before sunrise.
Chart Caption – 2024, May 24: Mars, Saturn, and Fomalhaut are in the eastern sky before sunrise.

Mars and Saturn are in the eastern sky.  Saturn is easier to see.  The Ringed Wonder is over 20° above the east-southeast horizon.  The yellow-orange planet is not as bright as Venus or Jupiter, but it outshines most of the stars this morning.

Mars, slightly brighter than Saturn, is over 10° above the eastern horizon and nearly 30° to Saturn’s lower left.  The Red Planet marches eastward against the starry background, opening a wider gap to Saturn each morning.

The star Fomalhaut is low in the southeast, to Saturn’s lower right, at this hour.

At 30 minutes before sunrise, Mercury is less than 5° above the eastern horizon.  After a disappointing morning apparition, the planet retreats into brighter twilight. It reaches superior conjunction on the sun’s far side on June 14th.

After the conjunction yesterday, Venus and Jupiter rise a few minutes before the sun.  Venus reaches superior conjunction 10 days before Mercury.

Jupiter reappears in the eastern morning sky next month.  Mars passes the Jovian Giant on August 14th.

Evening Sky

2024, May 24: Three hours after sunset, the moon and Antares are in the southeast.
Chart Caption – 2024, May 24: Three hours after sunset, the moon and Antares are in the southeast.

Evening Moon, Antares

After sunset, the sky is without a bright planet.  The moon rises nearly two hours after nightfall.  An hour later, it is less than 10° above the southeastern horizon and over 14° to Antares’ lower left.

During the night, the moon and stars appear farther westward.  Before sunrise tomorrow, the moon is in the western sky.

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