November 12, 2024: Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and the moon parade westward during the nighttime hours. All are visible before midnight.
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by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:37 a.m. CST; Sunset, 4:32 p.m. CST. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program.
Morning Sky
Jupiter
Before sunrise, the end of the nightly planet parade is easily visible. Jupiter, the brightest starlike body in the sky this morning, is less than halfway up in the west between the Bull’s horns, Elnath and Zeta Tauri. It retrogrades generally toward Aldebaran, 10.4° below the Jovian Giant.
The illusion of retrograde occurs when Earth overtakes and passes between a more-distant planet and the sun.
Mars
Mars marches eastward in front of Cancer, high in the south-southwest, over 10° to Pollux’s lower left, one of the Gemini Twins. It resembles Aldebaran’s color, but the planet is distinctly brighter, only Jupiter and Sirius outshine it.
Mars is approaching the Beehive star cluster and both are in the same binocular field of view. The cluster appears three times larger than the Full moon, but at a distance of nearly 600 light years, it shows as a fuzzy cloud without optical aid when viewed from a location away from outdoor lighting.
Evening Sky
Nightly Bright Planet Parade
The nightly planet parade begins each evening after sunset.
Mercury
Mercury’s appearance is beginning, although it is not a favorable view. The planet is bright, but is less than 4° above the southwest horizon and nearly 18° to Venus’ lower right. A natural horizon and a binocular are needed to see it.
The speedy planet reaches greatest elongation – its farthest eastern swing from the sun – in four nights when it is over 4° above the horizon at this time interval. Theoretically, all five bright planets are visible in a span of four hours after sunset.
Venus
As the sky darkens further, Venus gleams brightly from the southwest, over 10° above the horizon. It is easily mistaken for an airplane or some unworldly visitor. The Evening Star steps eastward in front of Sagittarius. Use a binocular to see it approach Kaus Borealis, meaning the northern part of the Archer’s bow. This evening Venus is 5.2° to the star’s lower right.
Through a telescope, Venus shows an evening gibbous phase that is 74% illuminated, an evening gibbous phase.
Saturn and Moon
Saturn is farther eastward, over 30° above the south-southeast horizon. The planet’s retrograde is nearing its conclusion for this year in front of Aquarius. The Ringed Wonder is nearly 30° from the moon.
The lunar orb, 88% illuminated, is in the east-southeast. The moonlight overwhelms dimmer stars and gently illuminates the ground, casting shadows.
Jupiter’s Evening Appearance
Venus sets over two hours after sunset and 44 minutes after Jupiter rises in the east-northeast. Look for them simultaneously at 105 minutes after sundown, Jupiter in the east-northeast and Venus in the southwest.
By three hours after sundown, Jupiter is nearly 15° above the east-northeast horizon. Find the horns and Aldebaran. At this time interval, Saturn is in the southern sky.
Mars Follows Jupiter
Mars, tonight’s fourth bright planet, rises over three hours after Jupiter. By six hours after nightfall, the Red Planet is over 10° above the east-northeast horizon, below Pollux.
Three bright planets and the moon are along an arc from the east-northeast to the southwest. Saturn is about 20° above the southwest horizon; Jupiter is about halfway up in the east-southeast; and Mars is in the east-northeast. The gibbous moon is high in the southwest.
By tomorrow morning Jupiter and Mars are nearly in the same place as this morning.
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