May 24-25, 2025: Brilliant Venus, Saturn, and the moon are lined up across the eastern horizon before daybreak. Jupiter and Mars are in the evening sky.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
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Venus Summary Article
VENUS AS A MORNING STAR, 2025
Venus, Saturn, Crecent Moon before Sunrise
Before sunrise, see Venus, Saturn, and the crescent moon in the eastern sky. An hour before sunrise here’s what to see:
- May 24: Brilliant Venus stands nearly 10° above the eastern horizon, 8.2° to the right of the crescent moon, 11% illuminated. Look for earthshine, sunlight reflected from Earth’s features that gently lights up the lunar night. Find Hamal, Aries’ brightest star, over 15° to the moon’s upper left and over 10° above the east-northeast horizon. Use a binocular to initially find the star that is about the brightness of the stars in the Big Dipper. Saturn, dimmer than average and over 15° above the east-southeast, is nearly 18° to Venus’ upper right. A binocular is helpful to identify Saturn as well.
- May 25: The Morning Star is 10° above the east horizon and 22° to the razor-thin lunar crescent’s upper right. The moon is less than 5° above the east-northeast horizon and about 8° to Hamal’s lower right. Saturn is less than 20° to Venus’ upper right and over 15° above the east-southeast horizon.
As the moon leaves the morning sky, ending lunation 1266 – the number of lunar cycles since the count began in 1923 – it leaves Venus and Saturn. The moon is New on the 27th at 4:02 a.m. Central Time.
Jupiter after Sundown
Jupiter and Mars are in the evening sky. An hour after nightfall, the Jovian Giant is over 5° up in the west-northwest. Setting less than two hours after sunset, it is 6.7° to Elnath’s lower right. The planet sets earlier each evening as it disappears into evening twilight. Unlike most celestial bodies, Jupiter can be seen near the horizon, though it is dimmer than when it is higher in the sky.
Mars and Leo in West-Southwest
Mars is less than halfway up in the west-southwest. It marches eastward near the Cancer/Leo border as it nears Regulus, the Lion’s brightest star. The Red Planet crosses the boundary on the 25th. The planet is over 10° to Regulus’ lower right. Mars closes in and passes the on June 17th.
Mars sets after midnight and about four hours before sunrise.
Look for Venus, Saturn, and the moon in the predawn eastern sky. See Jupiter in the west-northwest before it disappears into bright evening twilight.
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