2024, August 15-20:  Mars Marches Away from Jupiter

August 15-20:  Mars marches away from Jupiter after their conjunction on the 14th.  Look for them in the east-southeast before sunrise.

Venus, Mars, Jupiter, November 2, 2015
Photo Caption – 2015, November 2: Venus, Jupiter, Mars before sunrise.

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by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Mars Marches Eastward

Mars marches away from Jupiter
Chart Caption – 2024, August 17: An hour before sunrise, Mars is Jupiter’s lower left in the east-southeastern sky. They appear between the Bull’s horns.

Mars passed Jupiter in the sky on the 14th.  Each day after their close conjunction, Mars opens a gap to Jupiter. By the 20th, Mars is 2.9° east or to the lower left of Jupiter.

Here is how you find this planet pair:  Step outside an hour before sunrise.  The bright star about halfway up in the east is Jupiter.  It outshines all other stars in the sky this morning.  The Jovian Giant is nearly 9° to Aldebaran’s lower left, Taurus brightest star. Mars is about the same brightness and color as the star, and is close to Jupiter, to the lower left.

Mars Nears Bull’s Horns

As Mars struts eastward, it moves between the Bull’s horns, Elnath and Zeta Tauri.  It passes Elnath on the 24th and Zeta Tauri three mornings later.

From the Americas, Mars does not appear precisely between the horns.  On the 26th, it is west of an imaginary line between them, and the next morning, it is to the east.

Comparing Planets’ Speeds

The Red Planet revolves around the sun nearly every two years.  It regularly overtakes and passes bright stars and other solar system bodies.  Mars travels eastward in front of the stars of the zodiac, overtaking Jupiter again on November 16, 2026.

In comparison, Jupiter revolves around the sun in nearly 12 years, seeming to slowly plod through its orbit.  More distant planets revolve around the sun slower.

Jupiter and Saturn, December 20, 2020
Photo Caption – 2020, December 20: Jupiter and Saturn (140 mm).

Jupiter passed Saturn during December 2020.  It moves eastward along its orbital path, overtaking the Ringed Wonder in 2040.  While Aldebaran seems fixed in the sky, Jupiter’s conjunction with the star occurred July 10th.  Their next conjunction occurs June 22, 2036.

With Mars’ faster revolution, its Aldebaran conjunction occurred August 4th, followed by one on July 13, 2026.

Mars marches away from Jupiter
Chart Caption – 2024, August 15-20: A daily view through a binocular of Mars marching away from Jupiter. Note their locations compared to Iota Tauri (ι Tau).

Each morning, views through a binocular assist seeing the planets, especially with the distant star Iota Tauri (ι Tau on the chart) forming a signpost to reference the worlds’ motions.

Take a look each clear morning as Mars marches away from Jupiter.

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