October 13, 2026: Mars marches toward Jupiter before sunrise while remaining near the Beehive star cluster. Watch the planets close the gap ahead of their November 16 conjunction.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:01 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 6:12 p.m. CDT. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
Mars Targets Jupiter
Mars targets Jupiter for their November 16 conjunction in the east-southeastern sky before sunrise.
Jupiter in East-Southeast
Step outside an hour before sunrise. Bright Jupiter is over one-third of the way from the east-southeast horizon to overhead. It is brighter than all the stars in the sky this morning, including Sirius, about 30° above the southern horizon.
The Jovian Giant slowly rambles eastward in front of Leo, over 8° to Regulus’ upper right, the Lion’s brightest star.
Mars Marches Eastward
Red-orange Mars is nearly 13° to Jupiter’s upper right. It marches eastward in front of Cancer, near the Beehive star cluster. The planet and the stellar bundle remain in the same binocular field for several more mornings. Two mornings ago, Mars appeared in front of the star cluster.
Mars targets Jupiter for their conjunction on November 16. The Red Planet moves nearly one Full moon diameter eastward each morning as it closes the gap to Jupiter. Watch Mars close the gap each morning.
These two planets are visible before morning twilight. As the season progresses, they rise earlier and appear higher in the eastern sky before sunrise. Watch the changing separation each morning as Mars approaches Jupiter for their November conjunction.
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