February 24-25, 2025: Saturn slides into brighter evening twilight as Mercury emerges from it. Look for the morning crescent moon.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Evening Planets
Three bright planets – Venus, Jupiter, and Mars – are visible after sunset. No display of seven planets occurs although Uranus is near the Pleiades star cluster and it is visible through a binocular from suburban backyards.
Mercury, Neptune, and Saturn appear during bright evening twilight, though Neptune is far too dim for visibility. Mercury is passing Saturn, while the Ringed Wonder’s visibility is highly uncertain. The distant world is dim and likely overwhelmed by the dusk’s early light.
Highlights
Here is what to attempt to see 30 minutes after sunset:
- February 24: Brilliant Venus shines through evening twilight nearly 30° above the west-southwest horizon. Use a binocular to locate bright Mercury, over 5° above the horizon and almost 22° below Venus. Mercury is brighter than Mars, but its visual intensity is muted by bright evening twilight. If it is visible, Saturn is 1.6° to Mercury’s upper left. Saturn’s visibility is highly uncertain.
- February 25: Again, this evening 30 minutes after nightfall, brilliant Venus is in the west-southwest, over 25° above the horizon. Mercury is over 6° above the horizon and over 20° below Venus. If it is visible, Saturn is 1.7° to Mercury’s lower left.
Mercury’s visibility improves each evening, and in a few evenings, it is visible without optical assistance later during twilight. Then, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars are strung across the evening sky after nightfall.
Morning Moon
The crescent moon is low in the southeast on these mornings. Find a clear horizon looking toward in that direction.
Highlights
- February 24: One hour before sunrise, the crescent moon, 16% illuminated, is over 5° above the southeast horizon and to Teapot of Sagittarius’ lower left. Look for earthshine, sunlight reflected from Earth’s features that gently lights the lunar night.
- February 15: This morning is a challenge and a clear view toward the southeast is essential. At 30 minutes before daybreak, the crescent moon, 8% illuminated, is only 4° above the horizon.
The moon passes the New phase at 6:45 p.m. on the 27th. It appears below Mercury on the 28th and is with Venus on March 1st.
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