July 13, 2026: Mars passes Aldebaran before sunrise while Venus continues eastward from Regulus after sunset. Follow Uranus near the Pleiades and the Moon near New Moon phase.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:27 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:25 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
Today’s Highlights
• Mars–Aldebaran Conjunction
• Moon Near New Lunation
• Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
• Venus Steps Away from Regulus
Mars-Aldebaran Conjunction
An hour before sunrise, Mars is nearly 20° above the east-northeast horizon. Not exceptionally bright because it is nearly 200 million miles away, the Red Planet passes 5.3° to Aldebaran’s upper left in a wide conjunction, providing an easy comparison between the planet’s color and the star’s yellow-orange hue. Mars is noticeably dimmer than the star, about 65% of Aldebaran’s brightness. At this level of morning twilight, use a binocular to identify them. Aldebaran and the Hyades star cluster outline the Bull’s head.
Use the binocular to spot the Pleiades above Aldebaran. Uranus is in the same binocular field with the star cluster. Place the stellar bundle at the top of the field. Uranus is near the bottom. Locate stars 37 and 39 Tauri (37 Tau and 39 Tau). If 39 Tauri is visible, aquamarine Uranus is visible 1.4° to the lower right.
Moon Near New Phase
At 45 minutes before sunrise, the Moon, 2% illuminated, is less than 5° above the east-northeast horizon. To see it, a binocular is needed along with a clear view of the horizon. The bright star Capella, the fourth brightest star visible from the mid-northern latitudes, is nearly 30° above the northeast horizon. After the New Moon at 4:44 a.m. Central Time tomorrow, look for the first waxing crescent low in the west-northwest on the evening of the 15th.
Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
Mercury is at inferior conjunction today when the Elusive Planet is between Earth and the sun. It quickly moves west of the sun and begins a new morning apparition. By month’s end, it rises 87 minutes before the sun and 30 minutes later it is 5° above the east-northeast horizon.
After Sunset, Venus in West
After sunset, Venus continues to step eastward in front of Leo, 4.7° to Regulus’ upper left. The Evening Star dominates the western sky, outshining all other stars in the night sky. Use a binocular to watch Venus approach and pass Rho Leonis (ρ Leo), a useful milestone for following the planet’s eastward motion through Leo. Their conjunction separation is 1.0°.
Look for Mars and Aldebaran before sunrise and follow Venus as it opens a widening gap with Regulus after sunset. Uranus is easy to locate near the Pleiades through a binocular if conditions during mid-twilight are favorable.
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