July 12, 2026: Mars approaches Aldebaran before sunrise while Venus remains near Regulus after sunset. Follow the Moon, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in this daily skywatching almanac.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Venus as an Evening Star
Almanac for Sun, Moon, and Planets
Sun, Moon
Sun: At Chicago’s latitude, daylight spans 14 hours, 59 minutes, compared to 13 hours, 37 minutes in Miami. Farther northward, the sun is in the sky for 18 hours, 37 minutes in Anchorage. This latitude still has no astronomical darkness, only daylight and twilight. The sun is overhead at local noon at latitude 21° north. South of the equator, daylight lasts only 9 hours, 49 minutes.
Moon: The lunar orb nears the New Moon phase, occurring on the 14th at 4:44 a.m. Central Time. This morning, the thin crescent Moon, 6% illuminated, is over 10° above the east-northeast horizon and 1.4° to the lower right of Elnath, also known as Beta Tauri. The Moon is nearly 15° to the lower left of Mars. Mars is 5.3° to Aldebaran’s upper left.
Inner Planets
Mercury: The Elusive Planet is at inferior conjunction between Earth and Sun at 9:26 p.m. Central Time. The planet quickly moves into the morning sky.
Venus: The Evening Star shines from the western sky during evening twilight. An hour after sundown, it is over 10° above the western horizon, 3.6° to Regulus’ upper left, Leo’s brightest star. Venus is lower in the sky than it was at this interval after sunset and farther south along the horizon than it was a month ago. Use a binocular to see Regulus 3.6° to Venus’ lower right. Leo is disappearing into evening twilight. Use a binocular to trace its head (Sickle of Leo), haunches, and tail (Denebola).
Bright Outer Planets
Mars: The Red Planet is nearly 20° above the east-northeast horizon and almost 15° to the crescent Moon’s upper right an hour before daybreak. It marches eastward in front of Taurus, 5.3° to Aldebaran’s upper left. Tomorrow morning, Mars passes Aldebaran in a wide conjunction. Mars fits tightly into the same binocular field with the “V” of Taurus, made by Aldebaran and the Hyades star cluster, the Bull’s head.
Jupiter: The Jovian Giant nears its solar conjunction on the 29th. Tonight, it sets 50 minutes after sunset.
Saturn: The Ringed Wonder is halfway up in the southeast an hour before sunrise. It slowly creeps eastward in front of Pisces. Retrograde begins later this month, when the planet appears to move westward against the starfield. During morning twilight, the rings are visible through a telescope. They are tilted about 10°. Better views are ahead when Saturn is higher in the sky before morning twilight begins.
Faint Outer Planets
Uranus: The Tilted World is in the same binocular field with the Pleiades star cluster, near the stars 37 and 39 Tauri (37 Tau, 39 Tau). The planet’s visibility competes with the brightness of morning twilight. In a binocular, place Mars toward the lower left. Uranus is toward the upper right.
Neptune: The Distant Planet is about 10° to the west (right) of Saturn. It is very challenging to locate. At the beginning of morning twilight, it is less than halfway above the southeast horizon. It is in front of a dim Pisces starfield near stars 27 and 29 Piscium (27 Psc, 29 Psc). It is visible through a binocular, although it is a challenging view. Appearing as a faint blue world, use averted or peripheral vision.
Venus, Saturn, and Mars are easy to locate, while Uranus and Neptune need optical assistance and favorable sky conditions.
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