September 9, 2026: A thin crescent moon appears near Regulus before sunrise while Jupiter and Mars brighten the eastern sky. The conjunction signals Regulus’ return to morning visibility after its solar conjunction.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:25 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 7:10 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
Moon-Regulus Conjunction
A predawn Moon-Regulus conjunction confirms the star’s reappearance after its solar conjunction.
Regulus is making its return to the predawn eastern sky across the mid-northern latitudes after being lost in the sun’s glare. Leo’s brightest star was at solar conjunction on August 23. It is the brightest star near the ecliptic, so that the moon and planets pass closely on regular intervals.
Jupiter, Mars
Step outside an hour before sunrise. Take along a binocular. Find a clear view toward the east and east-northeast. Bright Jupiter is over 15° above the east horizon. The Jovian Giant is brighter than all the stars in the sky this morning.
Mars, considerably dimmer than Jupiter, is nearly 27° to Jupiter’s upper right, 9.6° to Castor’s lower right, and 7.7° to Pollux’s upper right. The stars are the Twins. The Red Planet marches eastward in front of Gemini, passing Castor in three mornings and Pollux on September 17. It closes the gap to Jupiter, passing the solar system’s largest planet on November 16.
Moon, Regulus
After locating the planets, look for the crescent moon, 3% illuminated, over 5° above the east-northeast horizon and 10° to Jupiter’s lower left. The distance is equal to the sky covered by an outstretched fist from thumb knuckle to pinky finger.
The lunar crescent is 4.7° to Regulus’ upper right. Use a binocular to see the star. During the next 15 minutes the sky brightens while the moon and Regulus appear higher in the sky.
The moon is not nearby tomorrow morning as the New moon phase occurs at 10:27 p.m. Central Time. The lunar crescent disappears into morning twilight as it approaches the New phase. Regulus is higher in the sky and easier to see during the next several mornings. In two weeks, it is over 15° above the east horizon at mid-twilight.
Look for the bright planets and moon before sunrise. Regulus appears near the lunar crescent. This conjunction is a cue that Regulus returns to the morning sky after its solar conjunction and becomes easier to see each morning.
LATEST ARTICLES
- 2026, October 2: Three Bright Planets and the Moon Before Sunrise
October 2, 2026: The moon passes Elnath before reaching Last Quarter phase. Mars approaches the Beehive cluster while Jupiter shines near Regulus and Saturn nears opposition. - 2026, October 1: Moon Passes Aldebaran and Approaches Jupiter Occultation
October 1, 2026: The waning moon shines in front of Taurus near Aldebaran and the Pleiades. Watch it move toward Mars and an occultation (eclipse) of Jupiter across North America. - 2026, September 30: See Saturn Through a Telescope
September 30, 2026: Look for opportunities to see Saturn through a telescope at a local museum or public sky watching event. Check our directory. - 2026, September 29: Mars and Jupiter Before Sunrise, Saturn Near Opposition
2026, September 29: Mars and Jupiter Before Sunrise, Saturn Near Opposition - 2026, September 28: Harvest Moon Shines Near Saturn While Jupiter and Mars Dominate the Morning Sky
September 28, 2026: The Harvest Moon shines near Saturn while Jupiter and Mars brighten the predawn sky. Venus and Mercury remain low after sunset as Saturn approaches opposition.