January 3, 2026: Jupiter and the Full Wolf Moon shine together during an all-night display, with Saturn visible after sunset.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:18 a.m. CST; Sunset, 4:32 p.m. CST. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
Before Sunrise
Jupiter and the moon dominate the sky during their nearly all-night westward journey, while Saturn is visible after sunset.
Before sunrise, bright Jupiter and the Full (Wolf) moon are low in the west-northwest. The moon is opposite the sun and reaches the Full phase at 4:30 a.m. Central Time. This marks the first bright Full moon of the season.
An hour before sunrise, Jupiter stands nearly 20° above the west-northwest horizon and 7.9° to the lunar orb’s upper left. The planet is 6.9° to Pollux’s lower left, one of the Gemini Twins.
Compare the moon’s position this morning with its location after sunset. Notice that the moon sets far toward the northwest — well north along the horizon from the sun’s summer solstice setting point. The lunar orb is near its most northerly orbital extreme, an event that recurs every 18.6 years.
After Sunset
After sundown, Saturn is in the south-southwest, nearly halfway from the horizon to overhead. While noticeably dimmer than Jupiter, it matches the brightness of Fomalhaut — the mouth of the Southern Fish — about 30° to Saturn’s lower right.
Farther eastward, Jupiter, the moon, and Gemini rise into the east-northeast sky. Wait until they climb higher above horizon obstructions. Three hours after sunset, the trio stands nearly 30° above the horizon, with the moon nearly between Jupiter and Pollux.
The three objects fit tightly into the same binocular field of view.
During Jupiter’s apparition, the moon passes near Jupiter and Pollux during each lunation.
As the night progresses, Saturn sets before midnight, while Jupiter and the moon remain visible nearly all night. By tomorrow morning, they again appear low in the west-northwest.
Look for Jupiter and Pollux as the moon moves between them during the early evening hours. Find Saturn shortly after sunset.
LATEST ARTICLES
- 2026, November 20: Mercury at Greatest Elongation, Venus, Mars, and Saturn
November 20, 2026: Mercury reaches greatest elongation. Find Venus near Spica, Mars near Regulus, Jupiter in Leo, and the 83%-illuminated Beaver Moon near Saturn. - 2026, November 19-21: Waxing Gibbous Moon Passes Saturn
November 19-21, 2026: Watch the waxing gibbous Moon pass Saturn. Follow their changing positions and view Saturn’s slightly tilted rings through a telescope. - 2026, November 18: Celestial Almanac – Bright Planets, Voyager Milestone
November 18, 2026: Find Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, and Mars before sunrise, the moon and Saturn after sunset, and Uranus near the Pleiades. Voyager 1 reaches distance milestone. - 2026, November 17: Voyager 1 Reaches One Light Day from Earth
November 17, 2026: Voyager 1 reaches one light-day from Earth tomorrow morning. Explore the spacecraft’s Grand Tour, gravity assists, historic planetary encounters, and continuing signals from interstellar space. - 2026, November 16: A Jupiter-Mars Conjunction Near Regulus as Venus Shines Near Spica
November 16, 2026: Watch Mars and Jupiter appear 1.2° apart before sunrise. Find Venus near Spica and Mercury low in the east-southeast, then observe the First Quarter Moon and Saturn after sunset.