July 19, 2025: Before sunrise, a 34% illuminated crescent moon approaches the Pleiades star cluster in the eastern sky. Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn join the view for a stunning morning planetary display.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:33 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:21 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
Solar System Extravaganza in East
Before sunrise the crescent moon, 34% illuminated, is about halfway from the east-southeast horizon to overhead. It approaches the Pleiades star cluster, riding on the back of Taurus, nearly 15° to the lower left.
Across North America tomorrow morning, sky watchers see the moon pass across the star cluster. During morning twilight, the moon seems to dance through the Pleiades, though the cluster is farther away and the lunar orb occults or eclipses several stars.
Venus and Jupiter
Brilliant Venus and bright Jupiter join the crescent moon in the eastern sky. The Morning Star steps eastward between Elnath and Zeta Tauri, the Bull’s horns, 7.2° to Aldebaran’s lower left, the constellation’s brightest star.
Very low in the east-northeastern sky, bright Jupiter is over 20° to Venus’ lower left. The Jovian Giant is easier to see each morning.
Venus is overtaking Jupiter at a rate of about 1° each day, a distance equal to about two moon diameters. Their conjunction occurs on August 12th.
Orion is beginning to return to the morning sky. The star Bellatrix, one of the shoulders is over 5° up in the east. Use a binocular to initially locate it.
Saturn in Southeast
Farther southward, Saturn is over halfway up in the south-southeast. It retrogrades in front of Pisces. The planet is above Deneb Kaitos, Cetus’ tail, which is about halfway from the horizon to the planet.
Neptune is near Saturn, though the moon is still too bright to easily locate it in the same binocular field with the Ringed Wonder.
Mercury is moving toward the morning sky for a six-planet morning extravaganza next month that includes Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Neptune and Saturn. By the time Mercury is visible during brighter twilight, Uranus and Neptune are washed out by the approaching sunrise.
Lonely Mars after Sundown
With the major planets shifting toward a morning view, Mars is the lone bright planet in the western evening sky. As Earth moves farther away from the Red Planet its brightness fades. A binocular might be needed to initially locate it. An hour after sunset, it is less than 15° up in the west.
Mars sets nearly 140 minutes after sundown, about 20 minutes after the end of evening twilight. It lingers in twilight until it passes behind the sun early next year.
This morning, look for the crescent moon, as it approaches the Pleiades before tomorrow morning’s occultation, and three bright planets.
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