March 24, 2025: The morning lunar crescent is visible in the southeast. Bright Jupiter and Mars are visible after sunset.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:47 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 7:08 p.m. CDT. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program.
Venus Summary Article
VENUS AS A MORNING STAR, 2025
Morning Crescent Moon
An hour before sunrise, the crescent moon, 30% illuminated, is low in the southeastern sky. This morning the lunar orb is in front of eastern Sagittarius.
Look for earthshine, sunlight reflected from Earth’s features that gently lights up the lunar night. Photograph it with a tripod-mounted camera and exposures up to a few seconds, though a handheld camera phone provides nice images, provided the phone is held steadily.
Venus, Mercury, Saturn
Venus continues to make its way into the morning sky. Rising 45 minutes before the sun, the Morning Star is nearly 8° up at sunrise. It can be found in the eastern sky through a binocular.
In addition to Venus, Saturn rises only 13 minutes ahead of the sun. Mercury is at inferior conjunction today, joining Venus and Saturn on the morning side of the sun. At its best, the planet’s view is very unfavorable next month.
Jupiter after Nightfall
Bright Jupiter and Mars are east of the sun and in the evening sky. The Jovian Giant, over halfway up in the west-southwest at one hour after sunset, rambles eastward toward the Bull’s horns, Elnath and Zeta Tauri. It is 7.0° to Aldebaran’s upper right, Taurus’ brightest star.
Before the moon returns to the evening sky and washes out dimmer celestial wonders, use a binocular to inspect the “V” of Taurus, made by the Hyades star cluster and Aldebaran. Next, look at the Pleiades, a star cluster of blue-white stars, resembling a miniature dipper. Planet Uranus is nearly in the same binocular field with the Pleiades. Get in last observations of the planet until it reappears in the morning sky after its solar conjunction and it clears predawn light.
Mars High in South
Mars, nearly 40° to Jupiter’s upper left, is high in the southern sky. It marches eastward in front of Gemini, near the Twins. It is 7.3° below Castor and 4.4° to Pollux’s lower right. It passes Pollux in a wide conjunction in a week.
Look for the moon before sunrise. Jupiter and Saturn are easily seen during the early evening hours. Venus aficionados can find the Morning Star in the east at sunrise.
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