November 3, 2026: Find the crescent moon near Jupiter, Mars, and Regulus before sunrise. See Venus near Spica and observe Saturn through a telescope after sunset.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:26 a.m. CST; Sunset, 4:42 p.m. CST. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
Today’s Highlights
- Moon Joins Jupiter, Mars, and Regulus
- Venus Emerges from Bright Sunlight
- Saturn Easily Observed
Moon Joins Jupiter, Mars, and Regulus
Step outside an hour before sunrise, looking toward the southeast. The crescent moon, 31% illuminated, is over halfway from the horizon to overhead. Jupiter is the “bright star” to its upper right. Their separation is 8.9°. Leo’s bright star is between them. Mars is 4.8° to Jupiter’s upper right. The Mars-Moon gap is 12.6°.
Mars marches eastward, slowly overtaking Jupiter, as their conjunction approaches on November 16. It passes Regulus 10 mornings later.
Meanwhile, the moon continues to appear farther eastward, near Venus on November 6 and 7.
Venus Emerges from Bright Sunlight
Fifteen minutes later, brilliant Venus is about 5° above the east-southeast horizon as it emerges from bright sunlight. The planet is easily seen with a view across a clear horizon. Spica, Virgo’s brightest star, is 2.3° to Venus’ upper left. Use a binocular to see it with Venus.
Saturn is Easily Observed
After sunset, Saturn is well-placed for viewing through a telescope, nearly 25° above the east-southeast horizon. It is not as bright as Venus or Jupiter, but it is the brightest body in the region.
In a telescope’s eyepiece, Saturn’s rings are easy to see, as are the planet’s muted clouds.
During the night, find Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, and Moon.
LATEST ARTICLES
- 2026, November 22: A Rare Mars-Regulus Triple Conjunction: Three Passes in 2026-2027
November 22, 2026: Mars passes Regulus three times in a rare triple conjunction spanning 2026 and 2027. Learn how retrograde motion creates the three encounters. - 2026, November 21: Four Bright Planets Before Sunrise and Saturn Near the Beaver Moon
November 21, 2026: See Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, and Mars before sunrise. After sunset, find Saturn near the 91%-illuminated Beaver Moon. - 2026, November 20: Mercury at Greatest Elongation, Venus, Mars, and Saturn
November 20, 2026: Mercury reaches greatest elongation. Find Venus near Spica, Mars near Regulus, Jupiter in Leo, and the 83%-illuminated Beaver Moon near Saturn. - 2026, November 19-21: Waxing Gibbous Moon Passes Saturn
November 19-21, 2026: Watch the waxing gibbous Moon pass Saturn. Follow their changing positions and view Saturn’s slightly tilted rings through a telescope. - 2026, November 18: Celestial Almanac – Bright Planets, Voyager Milestone
November 18, 2026: Find Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, and Mars before sunrise, the moon and Saturn after sunset, and Uranus near the Pleiades. Voyager 1 reaches distance milestone.