March 10, 2026: Jupiter’s retrograde ends in front of Gemini near the Twins.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:11 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 6:52 p.m. CDT. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
Venus as an Evening Star
Jupiter’s Retrograde Ends
Jupiter’s retrograde ends in front of Gemini, 10.6° to the upper right of Pollux and 11.2° from Castor, the Gemini Twins. Use a binocular to see the Jovian Giant 3.8° to Wasat’s (δ Gem) upper right.
One hour after sunset, bright Jupiter is high in the southeast. After Venus sets about 70 minutes after sunset, Jupiter is the brightest starlike body in the sky. It shines throughout the night until about three hours before sunrise, when it sets in the west-northwest.
Venus Joins Jupiter
As Jupiter resumes direct motion, it appears slightly farther west each evening. Jupiter passes Wasat on April 30, Castor on May 11, and Pollux on May 28.
After mid-spring, Jupiter begins the evening in the western sky while Venus closes the gap, leading to their June 9 conjunction.
The accompanying chart shows the motion of Jupiter (March 10–June 9) and Venus (May 23–June 9) projected along the plane of the ecliptic.
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