September 18, 2025: The crescent moon approaches Venus and Regulus in the eve of a rare close grouping of the three bodies. Saturn is near opposition and in the sky nearly all night.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:34 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 6:54 p.m. CDT. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
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Venus, Moon, Regulus before Sunrise
A rare, spectacular close grouping of Venus, Moon, and Leo’s brightest star, Regulus, occurs tomorrow morning. This morning, the moon is above the brilliant planet and star.
Here’s what to see 45 minutes before daybreak:
- Brilliant Venus is about 15° up in the eastern sky and 1.5° above Regulus. It is nearly 12° to the crescent moon’s lower left. Check out earthshine on the moon’s night portion, illuminated by sunlight reflected from Earth’s features.
- Bright Jupiter is higher in the east-southeast, near the star Pollux, one of the Gemini Twins.
- Saturn is low in the west-southwest during the grouping in the eastern sky. The three bright planets span nearly 150°.
- Uranus and Neptune are visible through a binocular before twilight begins. See yesterday’s notes and use a binocular.
After Sunset
Saturn, nearing opposition with the sun, rises shortly after sunset and it is farther westward during the night. It is again in the western sky tomorrow morning when Venus, Moon, and Regulus are closely bunched in the eastern sky.
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