March 12, 2025: Venus passes Mercury after sunset – a Venus-Mercury conjunction. Saturn passes behind the sun, its solar conjunction.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:07 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 6:54 p.m. CDT. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program.
Saturn at Solar Conjunction
Saturn passes behind the sun today, its solar conjunction. The planet slipped into evening twilight on February 22nd. It reappears in the eastern predawn sky around April 23rd, depending on local weather. Two mornings later, Venus, Saturn, and the waning crescent moon fit into the same binocular field of view.
Meanwhile, while Saturn hides in morning twilight, the planet’s rings are edge-on March 23rd. After its reappearance we see the southern side of the rings for the next 15 years.
Venus-Mercury Conjunction
After sunset, Mercury passes Venus in a wide conjunction. At 45 minutes after sundown, brilliant Venus is less than 10° up in the west. Find an observing location with a clear view in that direction. A hilltop or elevated structure helps with the planets’ sighting.
Mercury is 5.5° to Venus’ left. After its greatest elongation, the planet fades rapidly. Use a binocular to see the speedy planet and Venus together.
Mercury and Venus are quickly retreating into evening twilight. Venus passes between Earth and the sun, known as inferior conjunction, on the 22nd. Mercury follows two days later. Then they move into the eastern sky before sunrise.
Jupiter Rambles Eastward
This evening, bright Jupiter is high in the southwest at 45 minutes after nightfall. It rambles eastward in front of Taurus, 6.1° above Aldebaran, the Bull’s brightest star. The gap between the planet and the star continues to widen gently as the Jovian Giant heads toward the horns, Elnath and Zeta Tauri.
Mars with Gemini
Mars, the fourth bright planet in this nightly parade, is high in the southeast, over 35° east of Jupiter. It marches eastward in front of Gemini, 6.0° to Pollux’s right and 7.2° to Castor’s lower right. Make nightly observations to watch Mars’ eastward trek.
Moon Below Regulus
One night before the Full moon phase and a total lunar eclipse, the bright moon, 99% illuminated, is in the eastern sky at this hour. The lunar orb is 9.3° to Regulus’ lower left, Leo’s brightest star.
The four planets and the moon span nearly 150° of the evening sky and six zodiacal constellations from Pisces to Leo.
As Venus and Mercury disappear into evening twilight, Jupiter and Mars are easily visible throughout the spring months. Mars is visible for evening sightings until early autumn. Tonight look for the Venus-Mercury conjunction through a binocular.
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