August 17-28, 2025: Six major planets span the morning sky, from Mercury to Saturn. A rare close gathering of Venus, the crescent moon, and Pollux occurs on the 20th, not repeated until 2039.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
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Morning Planet Parade
Beginning this morning and continuing for about 10 days, six major planets are visible before sunrise. Venus and Jupiter shine brightly in the eastern sky. Farther southward, Saturn is higher in the sky with Neptune nearby, though the distant world is dimmed by moonlight, twilight, and outdoor lighting. Uranus, near the Pleiades, is visible through a binocular in early twilight. Mercury rises in brighter twilight, completing the morning display.
Venus, Moon, Pollux, August 20th
On the 20th, a rare close grouping of Venus, the crescent moon, and Pollux occurs. The trio fits into a binocular field—a close bunching not seen again until 2039.
Saturn Leads the Way
The planet display stretches into the night. After sunset, Saturn and Neptune rise in the east, about 90 minutes after nightfall. Mars sets in the west around this time. Although it doesn’t rise before sunrise, Mars could be loosely considered part of the parade.
Through the night, Saturn climbs higher and is due south about three hours before daybreak. A binocular reveals Neptune, 1.3° above Saturn. Place Saturn at the center of the field. Nearby stars 27 Piscium and 29 Piscium are distinctly yellow-white and blue-white, respectively. Despite being much fainter than Saturn, they outshine Neptune, which appears as a dim bluish star.
Binocular View – Uranus and Pleiades
Use a binocular to find Uranus near the Pleiades star cluster. Place the cluster toward the upper left of the field of view. Look for the star quartet: 13 Tauri, 14 Tauri, 32 Tauri, and 37 Tauri. These stars guide the search:
- 13 Tau and 32 Tau are about the same brightness as Uranus.
- 14 Tau is dimmer.
- 37 Tau is brighter and the most prominent in the group outside the Pleiades.
Uranus, aquamarine in color, appears as a dim star-like point near the lower right portion of the field, around 3° from the cluster.
From dark locations, Uranus may be visible to the unaided eye. In suburban settings, a binocular clearly reveals it in early twilight before it fades into morning’s glare.
Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury
By 45 minutes before sunrise, Venus and Jupiter are low in the east-northeast. The crescent moon, 37% illuminated, is halfway up in the east. As the sky brightens, Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury rise higher while Saturn and Neptune drop toward the western horizon and fade from view.
As twilight advances, Uranus and Saturn disappear into morning’s light. Venus and Jupiter remain easy to spot. Mercury, nearly 10° above the east-northeast horizon and over 15° to Venus’ lower left, is visible around 45 minutes before sunrise. Use a binocular to locate it.
On clear mornings, four of the six planets—Mercury to Saturn—span over 120° of sky from east-northeast to southwest.
A dazzling six-planet parade unfolds before sunrise, led by brilliant Venus and Jupiter. Saturn and elusive Neptune march across the southwest, while Uranus hovers near the Pleiades and Mercury pops into view during twilight. A rare, tight gathering of Venus, the crescent moon, and Pollux on the 20th highlights the display—closer than any lineup until 2039. Watch the planets shift through the night sky in a dynamic, early morning show.
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