June 15, 2026: Capella is visible before sunrise and after sunset while Mercury reaches greatest elongation near Jupiter. See Saturn, Mars, Venus, and Jupiter in today’s sky.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:15 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:27 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
Capella Shines with Morning Planets
The bright star Capella, the fourth brightest star seen from the mid-northern latitudes, is visible before sunrise and after sundown. The brightest star in Auriga, Capella is the northernmost of the brightest stars visible from the mid-northern latitudes. While some beginning sky watchers think Polaris is the brightest star, it is not among the 50 brightest stars visible in Earth’s sky.
Capella is farther north than the sun, even as the solstice approaches, so it rises before sunrise and sets after sunset.
Morning Planets
Before sunrise, Capella is 10° above the east-northeast horizon. It is twice as bright as golden Saturn. Saturn is over 25° above the east-southeast horizon and over 70° to Capella’s upper right. Saturn creeps slowly eastward in front of Pisces’ dim stars that are washed out by this level of morning light.
Mars, marching eastward in front of Aries, is nearly 10° above the east-northeast horizon and over 15° to Hamal’s lower left, the Ram’s brightest star. Look for the Red Planet through a binocular from a spot with a clear view in its direction. A hilltop or top floor in an elevated structure improves the view of the horizon. The gap to Saturn widens each morning. This morning their separation is 37.0°.
Capella and Evening Planets
After sunset, Capella is less than 10° above the north-northwest horizon, nearly 45° to brilliant Venus’ lower right. The Evening Star is 15° above the west-northwest horizon and over 6° to Jupiter’s upper left. Venus steps eastward in front of Cancer’s dim stars, while Jupiter slowly rambles eastward in front of Gemini, 7.1° to Pollux’s lower left.
Mercury reaches greatest elongation today, appearing 7.6° to Jupiter’s lower right and over 5° above the horizon. We see Mercury at its farthest extent from the sun. It fades in brightness as less of the planet is illuminated. Use a binocular to see it. It quickly overtakes Earth, passing between our planet and the sun on July 12, then moves into the eastern morning sky.
Look for Capella in both the morning and evening skies along with the bright planets. Mercury reaches greatest elongation as it appears near Jupiter.
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