2025, July 18: Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and the Moon Before Sunrise

July 18, 2025: Before sunrise, see Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and the waning moon in the morning sky.

Venus, Jupiter, Saturn
2019, February 9: Venus, Jupiter and Saturn shine in the pre-sunrise sky.

by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:32 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:22 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 AS A MORNING STAR, 2025

Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and the morning moon are visible before sunrise. Step outside an hour before daybreak, the moon, 46% illuminated, is over halfway from the horizon to overhead in the southeast.

Morning Moon

Moon, July 18, 2025
Chart Caption – 2025, July 18: During morning twilight, the thick crescent moon is in the southeastern sky near Hamal, Aries’ brightest star.

The lunar orb is about 10° to the lower right of Hamal, Aries’ brightest star.  The Ram’s brightest stars are nearby.  The constellation’s obvious shape is not large, making a small triangle, including Hamal.

Saturn

Saturn, July 18, 2025
Chart Caption – 2025, July 18: An hour before sunrise, Saturn is in the south-southeast above Deneb Kaitos, Cetus’ tail.

Saturn is halfway up in the south-southeast, about 30° to the moon’s lower right.  The Ringed Wonder slowly retrogrades, appears to move westward against the starfield, in front of Pisces.  The star Deneb Kaitos, the Sea Monster’s tail, is about halfway from the horizon to the planet.

Venus and Aldebaran in East

Venus and Aldebaran, July 18, 2025
Chart Caption – 2025, July 18: An hour before sunrise, Venus is in the eastern sky, to the lower left of Aldebaran, Taurus’ brightest star.

Farther eastward, brilliant Venus, steps eastward in front of Taurus, 6.2° to Aldebaran’s lower left, the Bull’s brightest star.

Jupiter Emerges from Bright Twilight

Venus, Jupiter, July 18, 2025
Chart Caption – 2025, July 18: Thirty minutes before daybreak, Jupiter is low in the east-northeast, to Venus’ lower left.

For sky watchers with clear horizons in the east-northeast, Jupiter is immediately above the horizon.  For others. wait another 30 minutes to see Venus and Jupiter.  A Venus-Jupiter conjunction occurs on August 12.  This morning their separation is less than 25°. The gap closes about 1° each morning.  In less than a week, Jupiter is high enough to see it with stars.

Mercury is quickly moving toward a morning show with Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn during mid-August.  The speedy planet is still east of the sun setting during bright twilight.  It passes between Earth and Sun, known as inferior conjunction, at month’s end.

Mars Lone Bright Evening Planet

Mars, July 18, 2025
Chart Caption – 2025, July 18: An hour after sundown, Mars is low in the western sky.

The morning show is without Mars, the lone bright planet visible after sundown, though it is becoming more difficult to see. One hour after sunset, the Red Planet is less than 15° above the western horizon.  Use a binocular to initially locate it as it marches eastward in front of Leo, nearly 20° to Regulus’ upper left and 12° below Denebola.

Look for the moon and planets during the nighttime hours.

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