November 14, 2026: Watch Mars approach Jupiter before sunrise, find Venus near Spica and Mercury low in the east, and explore the Dog’s Kingdom near the waxing crescent moon 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.
Today’s Highlights
- Jupiter-Mars Conjunction Imminent
- Venus With Spica
- Mercury Entering Morning Sky
- Moon With Dog’s Kingdom
- Saturn After Sunset
Jupiter-Mars Conjunction Imminent
Before sunrise, Mars nears its conjunction with Jupiter. Step outside an hour before sunrise. Jupiter is the “bright star” high in the south-southeast. It slowly rambles eastward in front of Leo, 4.4° to Regulus’ upper right, the Lion’s brightest star.
Mars, less than 10% of Jupiter’s brightness, is 1.3° to the Jovian Giant’s upper left. Their conjunction occurs in two mornings.
Jupiter-Mars conjunctions are not rare, but they do not occur annually. Their next conjunction occurs on July 19, 2029, near Spica.
After the conjunction with Jupiter, Mars’ eastward march continues, passing Regulus on November 26.
Venus With Spica
At this hour, brilliant Venus is nearly 15° above the east-southeast horizon and 1.4° above Spica, Virgo’s brightest star. The Morning Star seems to be looping around the star during the next few weeks.
Through a small telescope or spotting scope, Venus shows a morning crescent phase that is 13% illuminated.
Mercury Entering Morning Sky
Through a binocular, look for Mercury, 5° above the horizon and nearly 13° to Venus’ lower left. The planet is emerging from bright morning twilight for a brief appearance in the morning sky. During the next 15 minutes, the planet is higher, but is slowly veiled by light of the approaching sunrise. Better views of Mercury are ahead when it is brighter and higher in the sky.
Moon With Dog’s Kingdom
After sunset, the waxing crescent moon, 26% illuminated, is over 20° above the south-southwest horizon. It is east of Sagittarius’ brighter stars, known as the Teapot.
The lunar orb is near four fainter stars known as the Dog’s Kingdom. The stars Omega, 59, 60, and 62 Sagittarii (ω Sgr, 59 Sgr, 60 Sgr, and 62 Sgr) make a kite shape.
Use a binocular to see the moon near the Dog’s Kingdom asterism. It is also known as Kingdom of Dogs, Dog Country, and Territory of Dogs, among others. The name originates in Chinese mythology; Gǒuguó is also the proper name of 62 Sagittarii.
In Western star lore, the stellar quartet is known as Terebellum, also the formal name for the star Omega Sagittarii. The pattern represents a drill or auger.
An asterism is a pattern within a formal constellation. The Teapot is such a shape, as is the Big Dipper, which is part of the larger constellation known as Ursa Major or the Great Bear. Asterisms can occur across formal constellations, such as the Summer Triangle (Vega, Altair, and Deneb) and Winter Triangle (Sirius, Betelgeuse, and Procyon).
Saturn After Sunset
Farther eastward, Saturn is nearly 30° above the east-southeast horizon. The planet is not as bright as Venus or Jupiter in the morning sky, but it outshines all the stars in the region.
Saturn retrogrades in front of Cetus. This apparent westward motion against the faint background stars continues until December 10.
Through a telescope, the planet’s rings are tilted about 10° along the line of sight, and the view shows the southern hemisphere and its subtle cloud bands. Depending on the telescope, the brighter Saturnian moons are visible. Titan, the planet’s largest, is easy to spot.
Find the five bright planets as Mercury enters the morning sky. Locate the moon and the Dog’s Kingdom after sunset.
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