October 23, 2026: Venus reaches inferior conjunction as Mars approaches Jupiter before sunrise. After sunset, find the bright Hunter’s Moon near Saturn.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:12 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 5:57 p.m. CDT. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
Venus at Inferior Conjunction
Venus is at inferior conjunction, between Earth and Sun. Mars continues its approach toward Jupiter before sunrise, while the Hunter’s Moon is near Saturn after sunset.
Venus ends its evening apparition at inferior conjunction today. It passes between Earth and Sun. Then the planet speeds toward the morning sky, eventually appearing as the Morning Star.
On November 7, Venus and a thin crescent moon appear near Spica, Virgo’s brightest star. The grouping spans 3°, easily fitting into the same binocular field. At 45 minutes before sunrise, Venus is nearly 10° above the east-southeast horizon.
Jupiter, Mars Before Sunrise
Today before sunrise, bright Jupiter and Mars are in the southeastern sky. An hour before sunrise, bright Jupiter is 50° above the east-southeast horizon. Until Venus returns, Jupiter is the third brightest celestial body after Sun and Moon.
The Jovian Giant rambles eastward in front of Leo, 7° to Regulus’ upper right, the Lion’s brightest star, and 9° to Mars’ lower left.
Mars is marching eastward in front of Cancer. It overtakes Jupiter on November 16.
Saturn, Hunter’s Moon
After sunset, the Hunter’s Moon is near Saturn. An hour after sunset, the bright moon, 94% illuminated, is over 25° above the east-southeast horizon and 8.6° to Saturn’s upper right. During the night, the pair moves farther westward. They are in the southern sky before local midnight. Saturn sets in the west about two hours before sunrise.
Venus begins its next morning apparition as Mars approaches Jupiter before sunrise, while the Hunter’s Moon shines near Saturn after sunset.
LATEST ARTICLES
- 2026, October 23: Venus Changes from Evening Star to Morning Star
October 23, 2026: Venus reaches inferior conjunction as Mars approaches Jupiter before sunrise. After sunset, find the bright Hunter’s Moon near Saturn. - 2026, October 22: Morning Mars and Jupiter, Evening Hunter’s Moon and Saturn
October 22, 2026: Watch Mars close the gap to Jupiter before sunrise, then find the Hunter’s Moon near Saturn after sunset. - 2026, October 21-24: Hunter’s Moon Passes Saturn
October 21-24, 2026: The bright Hunter’s Moon approaches Saturn. Follow the Moon’s changing position and view Saturn’s slightly-tilted rings through a telescope. - 2026, October 20: Arcturus: The Star That Helped Open Chicago’s 1933 World’s Fair
October 20, 2026: Find Arcturus and the Big Dipper in the western sky after sunset. Discover the star’s seasonal transition and its role in Chicago’s 1933 World’s Fair. - 2026, October 19: Jupiter and Mars Before Sunrise, Saturn After Sunset
October 19. 2026: Find bright Jupiter and Mars before sunrise, the gibbous Moon after sunset, and Saturn through a telescope. Learn how Saturn’s retrograde motion works.