November 13, 2026: Watch Mars approach its November 16 conjunction with Jupiter, while Venus appears near Spica before sunrise. Find the waxing crescent moon, earthshine, and Saturn after sunset.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:38 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 4:32 p.m. CST. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
Jupiter-Mars Conjunction Nears
During morning twilight, Mars nears its conjunction with bright Jupiter. Step outside an hour before sunrise. The “bright star” high in the south-southeast is Jupiter.
The Jovian Giant slowly rambles eastward in front of Leo, 4.5° to Regulus’ upper right, the Lion’s brightest star. Mars overtakes Jupiter as their conjunction occurs in three mornings. The Red Planet is 1.5° to Jupiter’s upper right.
Jupiter-Mars conjunctions are not rare, but they do not occur annually. After this one, their next conjunction occurs on July 19, 2029, near Spica.
Watch Mars overtake Jupiter, pass it, and then move toward its conjunction with Regulus on November 26.
Venus Loops Around Spica, Mercury Nearby
At this hour, brilliant Venus is nearly 15° above the east-southeast horizon and 1.4° to Spica’s upper right. The Morning Star rises eight minutes earlier each morning compared to sunrise. It seems to be looping around the star.
Mercury is entering the sky, nearly 13° to Venus’ lower left and less than 5° above the horizon. Its visibility is reduced by the air’s blurring and dimming effects near the horizon. Easier views of the Elusive Planet are ahead, but those with an exceptionally clear sky and an unobstructed view toward the horizon can use a binocular to attempt to see it.
Evening Crescent Moon
After sunset, the crescent moon, 19% illuminated, is in the south-southwest. An hour after sundown, look for the Teapot, a modern moniker for Sagittarius’ brightest stars. The lunar orb is 0.7° above Nunki, in the pot’s handle. A binocular might be necessary to trace out the Teapot’s shape.
Photograph earthshine, the soft illumination on the moon’s night portion. With a steady camera, whether on a tripod or hand held, use exposures up to 5 seconds. Varying the exposure and the zoom can capture the moon with terrestrial features, the Sagittarius starfield, or just the overexposed lunar crescent with the earthshine effect.
Saturn
An hour after sunset, Saturn is 30° above the east-southeast horizon. While not as bright as Venus or Jupiter, it is the brightest “star” in the region. With the early sunsets, it is nicely placed for telescopic viewing. The planet shows the southern side of its rings, which are tilted about 10°, and the subtle cloud stripes in the southern hemisphere.
Saturn continues to retrograde in front of Cetus. Use a binocular to track its movement against the distant starfield.
During the night, look for the five bright planets and the waxing crescent moon.
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