November 22, 2024: During morning twilight, the Last Quarter moon is near Leo. During the night, four bright planets – Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars – are visible.
PODCAST FOR THIS ARTICLE
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:49 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 4:24 p.m. CST. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program.
Four Planets Before Midnight
From sunset until midnight, four bright planets shine brightly. The nightly planet display begins after sunset with brilliant Venus shining in the southwest. The planet’s visual intensity rivals airplane lights.
Saturn is farther eastward, now moving slowly direct or toward the east against Aquarius dim stars. As the sky darkens, the planet is less than halfway up in the south.
Jupiter, heading toward opposition next month, rises in the east-northeast less than an hour after sunset. Within 30 minutes, The Evening Star is low in the southwest, while Jupiter is in the east-northeast. Venus sets 160 minutes after sunset.
Mars is the last planet to appear, over four hours after sundown, and less that three hours after Jupiter rises.
As the calendar day ends, Mars is less than halfway up in the east; Jupiter is high in the southeast; and Saturn hides in the atmosphere near the horizon. The Ringed Wonder is not bright enough to shine through the atmosphere’s blurring effects near the west-southwest horizon.
Today’s Highlight
An hour before sunrise, the slightly gibbous moon, 56% illuminated, is high in the southern sky. The lunar orb is half-full or Last Quarter at 7:28 p.m. Central Time.
This morning the moon is 6.3° to Regulus’ upper right, Leo’s brightest star. With the moonlight, look carefully for the star or use a binocular.
Regulus is at the bottom of a question backwards mark, that outlines Leo’s head. The Lion’s haunches and tail, Denebola, are marked by a triangle to the east of the head.
RECENT PODCASTS
LATEST ARTICLES
- 2026, April 9: Sun, Moon, and Planet Almanac
April 9, 2026: The Last Quarter moon appears before sunrise in front of Sagittarius while Venus and Jupiter dominate the evening sky. Track daylight changes and planetary visibility. - 2026, April 8 -11: Morning Moon and Sagittarius Before Sunrise
A waning gibbous moon moves in front of Sagittarius before sunrise from April 8–11l. See the changing positions each morning. - 2026, April 7: Moon Near Antares Before Sunrise, Venus and Jupiter After Sunset
2026, April 7: A 75% illuminated moon appears near Antares before sunrise. After sunset, Venus and Jupiter shine brightly, with Venus moving toward a conjunction in the evening sky. - 2026, April 6: Moon Near Antares: Spot Messier 4 and Scorpius Before Sunrise
April 6, 2026: The 83% illuminated moon appears near Antares before sunrise. Use a binocular to locate Pi Scorpii, Al Niyat, and the globular cluster Messier 4 low in the south-southwest sky. - 2026, April 5: Early Spring Evening Stars – 10 Bright Stars Visible Tonight
See 10 of the 15 brightest stars during early spring evenings. Find Sirius, Arcturus, Jupiter, and more using this simple sky guide after twilight ends.