November 25, 2025: Bright Jupiter dominates the night sky while Venus sinks deeper into morning twilight. See Jupiter retrograding in front of Gemini, Saturn, and the crescent moon after sunset.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:53 a.m. CST; Sunset, 4:23 p.m. CST. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
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Bright Jupiter Reigns Night
Bright Jupiter reigns the night as Venus retreats deeper into morning twilight. Jupiter rises in the east-northeast less than four hours after sunset. About an hour later, the Jovian Giant is about 15° above the east-northeast horizon.
Jupiter retrogrades in front of Gemini, 6.6° to Pollux’s lower right at this hour. The illusion of retrograde occurs when our planet overtakes and moves between an outer planet and the sun. Opposition occurs in the middle of Jupiter’s retrograde on January 10, 2026.
At opposition, an outer planet rises at sunset, appears in the south at midnight, and sets in the west at sunrise. The planet is closest to Earth and brightest.
During the night, Jupiter climbs higher in the eastern sky, seemingly crossing above the south point over three hours before sunrise.
Each morning, Jupiter is over halfway up in the west-southwest, with Pollux to its upper right. Compared to the east and west horizon, Gemini and Jupiter seem to rotate their orientation, although they retain the same alignment with the sky’s north celestial pole, nearly marked by Polaris.
Saturn
After sunset, Saturn and the crescent moon are easily seen. The Ringed Wonder is less than halfway up in the southeast, now a good target for backyard telescopes. Its rings appear as a line through the planet, visible like this every 15 years. The best view occurs about three hours after sunset when it is nearly halfway up in the south.
Evening Crescent Moon
Farther westward, the lunar crescent, 27% illuminated, is nearly 25° up in the west-southwest. The moonlight is beginning to overwhelm the dimmer stars and planets, and cast shadows across the ground.
Some almanacs may show that the moon occults (eclipses) Pluto. The (dwarf) planet is very dim and practically impossible to see even with very large telescopes. When you look at the moon tonight, you are looking toward Pluto.
Look for Jupiter, Saturn, and the moon during the nighttime hours.
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