November 12, 2026: Find Venus near Spica and Mercury low before sunrise. Watch Mars approach Jupiter, see the evening crescent moon with earthshine, and observe Saturn after sunset.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:37 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 4:33 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
- Venus and Spica
- Jupiter-Mars Conjunction Nears
- Evening Crescent Moon
- Saturn After Sunset
Venus, Spica
Venus continues to enter the morning sky, rising six to eight minutes earlier each morning compared to sunrise. It is over 10° above the east-southeast horizon and 1.2° to Spica’s upper right at one hour before sunrise.
Through a telescope, Venus shows a morning crescent phase, 11% illuminated. Tonight, the moon has about the same illumination. See the moon section below.
Mercury is beginning to appear in the morning sky. It is less than 5° above the east-southeast horizon and over 10° to Venus’ lower left. It might be visible through a binocular, although it is not bright and the blurring and dimming effects make this view challenging. The planet is easier to see as it leaves bright morning twilight and rises earlier.
Jupiter-Mars Conjunction Nears
Mars approaches Jupiter as their conjunction nears in four mornings. Jupiter is the bright “star” high in the south-southeast. Mars, noticeably dimmer than Jupiter, is 1.8° to the Jovian Giant’s upper right. Both planets move eastward in front of Leo, to Regulus’ upper right. From Mars to Regulus, the three celestial wonders span 6.2°, and they fit into the same binocular field.
Crescent Moon After Sunset
After sunset, find the crescent moon about 10° above the southwest horizon. It is 2.3° to the upper right of Alnasl, the point of the Archer’s arrow, which also marks the tip of the Teapot’s spout, a modern moniker. Look for earthshine on the moon’s night portion. The effect is a soft illumination from sunlight reflected from Earth’s features.
Saturn
Farther eastward, Saturn is nearly one-third of the way from the east-southeast horizon to overhead. It is not as bright as Venus or Jupiter, but it is the brightest starlike body in the region. Through a telescope, the rings are tilted slightly along the line of sight, with a direct view of the planet’s subtle cloud bands in the southern hemisphere.
During the night, Saturn is south over four hours after sunset, setting in the western sky more than three hours before sunrise tomorrow.
Saturn slowly retrogrades in front of Cetus. The planet appears to turn eastward on December 10.
Look for the moon and four bright planets during the night.
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