November 9, 2026: The New moon begins lunation 1285. Find Venus near Spica, watch Mars approach Jupiter, and view Saturn in the evening sky.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:33 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 4:36 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
- New Moon
- Morning Star
- Mars Nears Conjunction with Jupiter
- Saturn After Sunset
New Moon
The New moon phase occurs at 1:02 a.m. CST, beginning lunation 1285 in the count of lunar cycles that began over a century ago. In two evenings, it is near the southwest horizon during evening twilight. On November 12, it is low in the southwest, but easier to see.
Three bright planets – Venus, Jupiter, and Mars – are visible before sunrise. Saturn is in the evening sky.
Morning Star
Step outside an hour before sunrise. Venus is easier to see each morning in the east-southeast. It gains six to eight minutes of rising time compared to sunrise each morning. At this hour, it is nearly 10° above the horizon. Outshining all other celestial bodies, the Morning Star easily shines through the thicker atmosphere near the horizon that blurs and dims celestial bodies.
Use a binocular to find Spica, Virgo’s brightest star, 1.2° to the brilliant planet’s lower left.
Jupiter, Mars in South-Southeast
Jupiter and Mars are higher in the south-southeast. The Jovian Giant is nearly two-thirds of the way from the south-southeast horizon to overhead. It is the second brightest body this morning, only 10% as bright as Venus. This comparison shows the brilliancy of Venus compared to the other stars and planets.
Jupiter slowly rambles eastward along the ecliptic – the plane of the solar system – in front of Leo, 4.9° to Regulus’ upper right, the Lion’s brightest star. Meanwhile, Mars, 2.7° to Jupiter’s upper right, overtakes the Jovian Giant at their conjunction in a week.
The Jupiter-Mars-Regulus grouping spans 7.5°, and the span decreases each morning for the next two weeks.
Saturn After Sunset
After sunset, Saturn is about 30° above the east-southeast horizon. It is due south less than five hours after sunset and sets in the west over three hours before sunrise. While not at its closest to Earth, the planet’s rings are tilted about 10° along the line of sight through a telescope.
Find the three bright planets before sunrise. Watch Venus appear higher in the morning sky as Mars overtakes Jupiter. Saturn continues as the lone bright planet in the evening sky.
LATEST ARTICLES
- 2026, November 9: New Moon and Four Bright Planets
November 9, 2026: The New moon begins lunation 1285. Find Venus near Spica, watch Mars approach Jupiter, and view Saturn in the evening sky. - 2026, November 6-29: Watch Venus Loop Past Spica Before Sunrise
November 6-29, 2026: Watch Venus rise earlier each morning as it appears to move from south of Spica to north of the star. Follow their changing separation through November. - 2026, November 7: Rare Venus, Crescent Moon, and Spica Grouping
November 7, 2026: See Venus, the thin crescent moon, and Spica together before sunrise. Learn why this close grouping is rare and how lunar nodes affect future gatherings. - 2026, November 6: Autumn’s Midpoint: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn
November 6, 2026: Find the crescent moon and Venus before sunrise, follow Mars toward Jupiter and Regulus, and observe Saturn through a telescope after sunset. - 2026, November 5: See Four Celestial Objects in the Morning Sky
November 5, 2026: Find Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and the crescent moon before sunrise. Learn how to spot Spica, follow Mars toward Jupiter, and photograph earthshine.