June 15, 2025: Mars is on final approach with its conjunction with Regulus. The planet is in the western sky after nightfall.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:15 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:28 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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A Mars-Regulus Conjunction: Mars on Final Approach
Tonight, Mars approaches its conjunction with the star Regulus, which occurs in two nights. The Red Planet marches eastward in front of Leo, near a half-dozen stars known as the Sickle of Leo, which outlines the Lion’s head.
An hour after sundown, Mars is about 30° up in the west. That’s about one-third of the way from the horizon to overhead. It is 1.2° to the right of blue-white Regulus, Leo’s brightest star.
Making its final approach to the star, Mars passes 0.8° from it on conjunction night
Regulus is the closest bright star to the ecliptic. The planets and moon can pass closely to the star. A Venus conjunction occurs on September 19th, after the star reappears in the eastern morning sky from its solar conjunction.
Future Mars-Regulus Conjunction
A Mars-Regulus conjunction occurs again on November 26, 2026, when their separation is 1.7°. Jupiter is nearby and they fit into a circle 3.6° in diameter and easily into the same binocular field of view. Four mornings later, the slightly gibbous moon joins the scene and the morning quartet fits into a circle 5.2° across, a rare gathering of Jupiter, Mars, Moon, and Regulus.
While Mars and Regulus are easily visible without optical aid, use a binocular to watch the Red Planet’s orbital motion against the background for the next several days.
Mercury after Sunset
Mercury is visible at this hour, though it is easier to see 15 minutes earlier. At that time, the inner-most planet, brighter than all the stars at this hour, is over 5° above the west-northwest horizon. Its visual intensity competes with bright evening twilight. Find a clear view toward the planet and use a binocular.
Morning Moon
This evening, Jupiter sets 25 minutes after the sun. It seems to pass behind the sun in over a week, reappearing in the east-northeast before sunrise later next month. Venus overtakes the Jovian Giant in a pretty conjunction of the solar systems brightest planets on August 12th.
Before sunrise this morning, the gibbous moon, 84% illuminated, is in the southern sky, less than one-third of the way from the southern horizon to overhead.
An hour before sunrise, the lunar orb is in front of Capricornus. Use a binocular to see Algedi – “the kid” – over 13° to the moon’s upper right, and Deneb Algedi – “the kid’s tail” – over 12° to the upper left.
Venus and Saturn: Morning Planets
Farther eastward, brilliant Venus is nearly 15° up in the eastern sky. Brighter than all the stars in the sky, the Morning Star steps eastward in front of Aries, 12.7° to Hamal’s lower right, the Ram’s brightest star.
Through a telescope, Venus displays a morning gibbous phase, 57% illuminated.
Venus continues to open a gap to Saturn, nearly 30° above the east-southeast horizon and almost 40° to the brilliant planet’s upper right.
Saturn’s rings are displayed nearly from the edge, diverting sunlight away from Earth. The result is that Saturn is dimmer than average. While the Ringed Wonder is visible to the unaided eye, a binocular is helpful with its initial identification.
Neptune is not Visible
Neptune is in Saturn’s region, though this morning’s twilight is brighter than the solar system’s most distant planet. It is visible through a binocular later in the summer in a darker sky, but not this morning.
Pleaides near Heliacal Rising
The Pleiades star cluster is nearing its heliacal rising, when it is visible without optical assistance. Most bright stars reach their first morning appearances when they are lower in the sky. This morning, the dimmer cluster is less than 10° above the east-northeast horizon. Find it with the binocular.
Venus moves in the Pleiades’ direction, passing over 5° from the cluster on July 5th.
Tomorrow night look for Mars as it closes in for its Regulus’ conjunction.
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