July 10, 2024: Jupiter passes Aldebaran this morning in a wide conjunction. The planet along with Mars and Saturn are in the morning sky. Look for Mercury and the crescent moon after sundown.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:26 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:27 p.m. CDT. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program.
Here is today’s planet forecast:
Morning Sky
A Rare Jupiter-Aldebaran Conjunction
A wide Jupiter-Aldebaran conjunction occurs this morning. Jupiter is slowly moving eastward in front of Taurus. At an hour before daybreak, the Jovian Giant is over 15° above the east-northeast horizon and 4.8° to Aldebaran’s upper left.
Jupiter passes Aldebaran again on June 22, 2036, after it completes a circuit through the zodiac. It occurs in brighter twilight and a binocular is needed to see the star. This is one of those rare celestial events.
Topaz Aldebaran is the ninth brightest star visible to sky watchers at the mid-northern latitudes. At a distance of nearly 70 light years, it shines with an intensity of over 150 suns. The star appears near the Hyades star cluster, sometimes mistaken for one of its member stars. The cluster, resembling a check mark, is about twice Aldebaran’s distance from the sun. Together the single bright star and the stellar collection make a sideways letter “V” at this season, outlining the Bull’s head.
A Binocular View
Jupiter and the V pattern fit into the same binocular field of view. The cluster is higher in the sky each morning. When in a darker sky, their outline is easy to see.
This photo shows Venus and the moon during 2020 near Aldebaran before sunrise at this season, demonstrating the challenge to see stars near the horizon during morning twilight. The Hyades were captured as well.
Mars Marches Eastward
Mars, dimmer than Jupiter, is nearly 30° up in the east. The Red Planet marches eastward in front of eastern Aries, nearing a crossing into Taurus’ boundaries. It is 9.1° to the right of the Pleiades star cluster, that rides on Taurus back in celestial artwork. This morning Mars is too far away to fit into the same binocular field.
However, Mars and planet Uranus fit into the same field. The distant planet, resembling a dim aquamarine star, is 3.5° to Mars’ lower left. Uranus fits into the same field with the Pleiades. Because Uranus moves slowly around the sun, it appears in the same binocular field with the star cluster, until 2027. This chart shows two overlapping binocular fields of view.
Unlike what is portrayed in the movies, a binocular shows a single circular view.
More Mars Highlights
Mars’ quick eastward motion is a planetary ballet at its best. It passes 0.5° to Uranus’ lower right on the 15th, the same morning it is first visible in the same binocular field with the Pleiades star cluster. Six mornings later, it passes Alcyone, also known as Eta Tauri, the brightest Pleiad, at a 4.8° separation. The planet is in the same field with the stellar bundle until the 27th.
On the 29th through August 3rd, Mars appears in the same binocular field with the “V” of Taurus. On the 3rd it is 5.6° to Jupiter’s upper right with their conjunction occurring on the 14th.
On July 30th, the crescent moon passes by for a pretty picture with the two planets and the star cluster pair.
Taurus has a rich starfield that makes planet tracking easy.
Saturn
In comparison at this hour, Saturn is nearly halfway up in the south-southeast. It is in front of a dim Aquarius’ starfield, above Deneb Kaitos and Fomalhaut, part of two neighboring constellations.
Saturn is retrograding, appearing to move westward compared to the starfield. This is an illusion as our faster-moving world overtakes and passes between Saturn and the sun. The planet seems to backtrack until November. Its entire retrograde fits into a single binocular field.
Evening Sky
Venus
Venus is at perihelion today, its closest point to the sun. It is 0.718 Astronomical Units or 67 million miles from the solar system’s central star. The planet sets during bright twilight.
Mercury, Moon during Bright Twilight
Forty minutes after nightfall, Mercury is about 7° up in the west-northwest. At this level of twilight, use a binocular to find it. The speedy planet sets about 80 minutes after the sun.
The moon, 24% illuminated, is 20° up in the west and about 35° to Mercury’s upper left. The lunar orb slowly climbs into the sky each evening because of the low angle the solar system’s plane makes with the horizon.
Twenty minutes later, locate Regulus nearly 18° to the moon’s lower right and Denebola, nearly 12° above the crescent.
Moon, Leo
At this level of twilight look for Leo with a binocular. The Lion’s head is outlined by a backwards question mark, while the haunches and tail are identified by a stellar triangle.
Use the optical assist to see earthshine on the moon’s night portion between the lunar cusps or horns. This soft light is sunlight reflected from Earth’s features.
The moon sets this evening three hours after sundown. For sky watchers in the western regions of time zones, this occurs after midnight.
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