June 1, 2025: Venus reaches greatest elongation, its farthest extent from the sun. Jupiter slowly disappears into bright evening twilight.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:18 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:20 p.m. CDT. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program.
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Venus Summary Article
VENUS AS A MORNING STAR, 2025
As the summer solstice nears, the increase in daylight slows, now less than 15 minutes short of its maximum length.
Venus, Greatest Elongation
Venus is at greatest elongation today. It appears farthest from the sun. Geometrically, the Sun-Earth-Venus angle is at its largest, 45.9°.
Find brilliant Venus, 10° up in the east at one hour before sunrise. Through a telescope the phase is half full, resembling a Last Quarter moon, though the waxing and waning names are not used for Venus.
Saturn is nearly 25° to the Morning Star’s upper right. The gap between the planets continues to widen as Venus steps eastward and away from the Ringed Wonder.
Saturn is dimmer than average. The rings are tipped away from Earth and their icy particles reflect sunlight away from our view.
Goodbye, Jupiter!
In the evening sky, Jupiter slips into brighter evening twilight. At 45 minutes after nightfall, the planet is less than 5° above the west-northwest horizon. Because it is brighter than all the stars in the sky, though it is dimmer than Venus, Moon, and Sun, it can be seen near the horizon.
Jupiter passes behind the sun on the 24th and reappears in the morning sky later next month before a conjunction with Venus on August 12th. Until it reappears, we say “Goodbye, Jupiter!” Jupiter aficionados can track the planet through binoculars and telescopes until the sky becomes too bright to see the planet.
After its superior conjunction two days ago, Mercury slowly climbs into the evening sky. Tonight, it sets only 20 minutes after the sun, about 50 minutes before Jupiter leaves the sky,
Mars, Evening’s Lone Bright Planet
This leaves Mars as the lone bright planet in the evening sky. An hour after nightfall, find the moon, 40% illuminated, less than halfway up in the west-southwest and 7.7° to Mars’ upper left. The lunar orb is 1.2° to Regulus’ upper right. A binocular might be needed to see the star next to the bright moon.
Beginning next month, the moon begins a series of 20 occultations or eclipses of Regulus.
Mars marches eastward in front of Leo, 8.6° to Regulus’ lower right. The gap closes each evening until Mars passes on the 17th. Watch Mars approach and pass the star.
Look for Venus and Saturn before sunrise and Mars near the moon after sundown.
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