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.
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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.
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