Jeffrey L. Hunt is an educational technologist living in suburban Chicago. When he's not learning about and implementing technology in classes, he's running or looking at the stars.
2020, November: Mars stops retrograding and resumes its eastward march compared to the stars of Pisces (Psc).
The Red Planet’s retrograde motion ends during mid-November. The planet slowly resumes its eastward direction among the dim stars of Pisces. Bright Mars is visible in the east-southeastern sky after sunset during November.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
After Mars’ bright close approach and opposition during October, the planet’s retrograde motion ends November 13.
Use a binocular to track the motion of the planet against the dim starry background of Pisces. Observations each clear night reveal the changing position of the planet.
(On the chart above Greek letters and numbers designate the star names along with the abbreviation for Pisces.)
Astronomers use several coordinate systems to locate celestial objects. One system’s foundation is the celestial equator. It is an imaginary great circle in the sky that is directly above the earth’s equator. Equatorial latitude is known as declination, measured in degrees. Longitude – known as right ascension – is measured in hours and minutes. One hour of equatorial longitude is 15°.
A second system uses the plane of the solar system, known as the ecliptic. Degree measurements are used for celestial longitude and latitude. The sun appears to move along the ecliptic, as well as most of the other planets and the moon, although they are inclined by a few degrees.
The origin (0h right ascension, 0° declination and 0° celestial longitude, 0° celestial latitude) of both systems is the Vernal Equinox – a place in the sky and a calendar event. When the sun has the coordinates of the origin point, that is the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. The sun’s light is directed toward the Earth’s equatorial regions.
When tracking the motions of the planets compared to other worlds or with the stars, a conjunction occurs in either system when the planet and the second object has either the same right ascension or the same celestial longitude.
The two coordinate systems are angled with respect to each other by 23.5°, the earth’s tilt. A conjunction can occur in one system, but not in the other. Additionally, the conjunction can occur on different dates in the two systems.
The ecliptic system measurements generally reveal the closest separations. The articles here typically reference the ecliptic system, because of the shortest gaps this system measures.
On the chart above, Mars moves westward compared to the stars (to the right on the chart) and then stops and begins to move eastward. In the ecliptic coordinates, the retrograde motion ends November 13. In equatorial coordinates, the motion ends on November 14.
Each night Mars appears in the eastern sky after sunset, moves across the sky during the night, and sets in the west after midnight. This occurs from our planet’s rotation.
The motion demonstrated on the chart, is from the combined orbital motions of Earth and Mars. As our planet approaches and passes any object that is farther away from the sun, those objects seem to stop moving eastward compared to the starry background and seem to back up or retrograde. As Earth moves away, they resume their eastward direction.
The reason for this motion was one of the great cosmological problems of astronomy. What caused this, the earth’s motion or some strange mechanism manipulating the planets’ motions while the earth was stationary?
Mercury and Venus retrograde as well. Their retrograde is not easily observed, although Mercury demonstrates some of that early this month as the planet’s retrograde motion carries it to the Spica region and then the speedy planet resumes its eastward motion. (See our article about Mercury and Venus during November.)
2020, November 25: The gibbous moon is 5.2° below Mars.
The waxing gibbous moon joins Mars on November 25. The Red Planet is 5.2° above Mars.
Watch the Red Planet reverse its westward motion and resume its normal eastward direction compared to the starry background.
The Red Planet’s retrograde motion ends during mid-November. The planet slowly resumes its eastward direction among the dim stars of Pisces. Bright Mars is visible in the east-southeastern sky after sunset during November.
Mercury begins to join Morning Star Venus in the eastern sky before sunrise. The moon is in the morning sky in the west. Three evening planets are found after sunset, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Mars is in the east-southeast and the Jupiter – Saturn pair is in the south-southwest after sunset. Four hours after sunset, look for the moon between the bull’s horns.
Mercury begins to join Morning Star Venus in the eastern sky before sunrise. The moon is in the morning sky in the west. Three evening planets are found after sunset, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Mars is in the east-southeast and the Jupiter – Saturn pair is in the south-southwest after sunset. Today is a heliocentric conjunction for Jupiter and Saturn.
The bright gibbous moon appears to be caught in between the horns of Taurus. Look for the moon in the east-northeast about 4 hours after sunset. Block its light with your hand to observe to two horns, Zeta Tau (ζ Tau on the chart) and Beta Tauri (β Tau).
Mercury begins to join Morning Star Venus in the eastern sky before sunrise. The moon is in the morning sky in the west. Three evening planets are found after sunset, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Mars is in the east-southeast and the Jupiter – Saturn pair is in the south-southwest after sunset. Four hours after sunset, look for the moon between the bull’s horns.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:26 a.m. CST; Sunset, 4:42 p.m. CST. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times in your location.
Morning: Before sunrise, brilliant Venus is less than one-third of the way up in the east-southeast. This is its first morning in Virgo for this morning apparition. As the sky brightens further, Mercury rises higher in the sky, appearing near the star. Farther west, the bright gibbous moon is near the star Aldebaran.
Morning detailed note: One hour before sunrise, Venus is about 20° in altitude above the east-southeast horizon. Moving eastward in Virgo, the brilliant planet is 2.6° to the lower left of Eta Virginis (η Vir) and 2.8° to the upper right of Gamma Virginis (γ Vir). Fifteen minutes later, Spica is over 6° up in the east-southeast. Mercury (m = 0.5) is 4.1° to the left of the star. Farther west, the moon (17.7d, 93%) – over 39° up in the west – is 4.8° to the upper right of Aldebaran.
2020, November 3, 2020: Brilliant Venus shines in the east-southeast 45 minutes before sunrise. It is 2.8° to the upper right of Gamma Virginis (γ Vir on the chart). Mercury is low in the sky, near the horizon and 4.1° to the left of the star Spica.
Evening: As the sky darkens after sunset, Jupiter and Saturn are in the south-southwest. Saturn is 4.9° to the upper left of Jupiter. The Jovian Giant continues to close the gap to Saturn leading up to the Great Conjunction of 2020. Use a binocular to view Jupiter against the starry background. Rusty Mars is in the south-southeast in front of the stars of Pisces. It is retrograding – moving westward compared to the starry background. This continues for nearly two weeks. About 9 p.m. look for the bright moon low in the east-northeast. It is between the horns of Taurus. Block the moon with your hand to see the dimmer stars of the bull’s horns.
Evening detailed note: One hour after sunset, Saturn is 26.0° up in the south-southwest, 4.9° to the upper left of Jupiter (m = −2.1). In the starfield, Saturn is 2.1° to the lower left of 56 Sgr, while Jupiter is 4.1° to the lower right of the same star. Jupiter continues to close the gap toward next month’s conjunction. In addition, Jupiter is 1.3° to the left of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr). Mars (m = −2.0) is over 22° up in the east. Among the stars, the planet is 2.2° to the upper right of 80 Piscium (80 Psc) and 3.2° to the lower right of Epsilon Piscium (ε Psc). Four hours after sunset (about 8:45 p.m. CST), the moon (18.3 days after the New moon phase, 89% illuminated) – over 19° up in the east-northeast – is between the Horns of Taurus. Zeta Tauri (ζ Tau, m = 3.0) – the Southern Horn – is 4.3° to the lower left of the moon, while Beta Tauri (β Tau, m = 1.6°) – the Northern Horn – is 6.2° to the upper left of the lunar orb.
For more about the Great Conjunction, read our feature article. This is the closest Jupiter – Saturn conjunction since 1623.
2020, November 2: Forty-five minutes before sunrise, Venus is low in the east-southeast, 4.0° to the upper right of Gamma Virginis (γ Vir). Mercury and the star Spica are near the horizon below Venus. They are 3.9° apart.
Mercury begins to join Morning Star Venus in the eastern sky before sunrise. The moon is in the morning sky in the west. Three evening planets are found after sunset, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Mars is in the east-southeast and the Jupiter – Saturn pair is in the south-southwest after sunset.Today is a heliocentric conjunction for Jupiter and Saturn.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:25 a.m. CST; Sunset, 4:43 p.m. CST. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times in your location.
Today is a heliocentric conjunction for Jupiter and Saturn. As the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn nears, Jupiter passes Saturn if viewed from the sun. Read more here.
Today’s Special Note: Jupiter and Saturn are at heliocentric conjunction today. They have the same heliocentric longitude, 301°. As viewed from the sun, the planetary pair is in a conjunction. View from above the solar system, a line drawn from the sun extends through both planets. From our planet, the planets are 5.0° apart.
Morning: Brilliant Venus is less than one-third of the way up in the east-southeast before sunrise. It is approaching the star Gamma Virginis in the starfield. This morning, the planet is over 3° to the upper right of that star. Farther west, the bright moon – 16.7 days after the New moon phase and 97% illuminated – is about one-third of the way up in the west. It is over 10° to the lower right of the star Aldebaran. Your fist extended to arm’s length fits between the moon and the star in the sky.
Forty-five minutes before sunrise, Mercury is visible near the star Spica. Both are very low in the east-southeast. The planet is 3.9° to the lower left of the star. Find a spot with a clear natural horizon in that direction. Use a binocular.
Morning detailed note: One hour before sunrise, Venus is over 20° up in the east-southeast. In the starfield, it is 1.4° to the lower left of η Vir and 4.0° to the upper right of Gamma Virginis (γ Vir). Venus is below a line that connects the two stars. Farther west, the moon (16.7d, 97%) is 29.0° above the western horizon. It is 6.1° to the lower left of the Pleiades and 10.6° to the lower right of Aldebaran (α Tau, m = 2.8). Fifteen minutes later, Mercury (m = 0.9) is over 5° up in altitude above the east-southeast horizon, 3.9° to the left of Spica.
2020, November 2: Jupiter is 5.0° to the lower right of Saturn, about one hour after sunset. Look toward the south-southwest.
Evening: Three bright planets are in the sky this evening. Mars is in the east-southeast among the dim stars of Pisces. It continues to retrograde – move westward compared to the stars. Farther west, Jupiter and Saturn are visible low in the south-southwest. Jupiter – 5.0° to the lower left of Saturn – continues to inch eastward toward Saturn toward the Great Conjunction of 2020 on December 21.
Evening detailed note: One hour after sunset, Mars is nearly 22° up in the east-southeast. In the starfield, it is 2.1° to the upper right of 80 Psc and 3.2° to the lower right of ε Psc. Farther west, Jupiter is about 24° up in the south-southwest. Dimmer Saturn is 5.0° to the upper left of the Jovian Giant. In the starfield, Saturn is 2.0° to the upper left of 56 Sgr, while Jupiter is 4.3° to the lower right of that star. Additionally, Jupiter is 1.2° to the lower left of 50 Sgr. Three hours after sunset, the moon (17.3d, 94%) is 3.9° to the upper left of Aldebaran and 0.8° to the upper left of Epsilon Tauri (ε Tau, m = 3.5). With the moon’s brightness, use a binocular to see the Hyades with Aldebaran and ε Tau to the lower right of the lunar orb.
For more about the Great Conjunction, read our feature article. This is the closest Jupiter – Saturn conjunction since 1623.
Brilliant Venus continues to shine brightly in the morning sky. Venus is “that bright star” in the southeastern sky before sunrise. Venus steps eastward in Virgo as Mercury makes its best morning appearance for the year. The crescent moon joins the bright inner planets on November 12 and November 13.
Speedy Mercury joins Morning Star Venus in the eastern sky before sunrise. The first rock from the sun is entering the morning sky for its best appearance of the year. In the evening, Mars shines in the eastern sky, while in the south-southwest Jupiter edges toward its Great Conjunction with Saturn on December 21, 2020.
Brilliant Morning Star Venus shines in the eastern sky among the stars of Pisces. Mars is visible earlier in the morning, but is low in the sky when Venus rises. In the evening, Mars shines from the east, while Jupiter and Saturn are in the south-southwest as a prelude to their Great Conjunction on December 21, 2020. The moon appears to the upper right of Mars.
November 1-15, Venus and Mercury: Venus and Mercury move through Virgo during the first half of November, Venus approaches Spica.
Brilliant Venus continues to shine brightly in the morning sky. Venus is “that bright star” in the southeastern sky before sunrise. Venus steps eastward in Virgo as Mercury makes its best morning appearance for the year. The crescent moon joins the bright inner planets on November 12 and November 13.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Venus and Mercury are seen against the distant stars of Virgo for nearly the entire month, although late in the month, the move into Libra.
Venus begins the month about 20° up in the east-southeast one hour before sunrise. Mercury starts to climb into the morning sky and is visible low in the east-southeast 15 minutes later.
November 1: Look for brilliant Morning Star Venus 0.3° to the lower left of Eta Virginis (η Vir). Use a binocular to spot the dimmer star new Venus. As twilight progresses, look for the star Spica low in the east-southeast with Mercury 3.9° to the lower left of the star. Use a binocular to initially see the star and the speedy planet. Can you find them without optical assistance? Continue to look for Mercury each clear morning near Spica for the next several mornings.
November 5: Venus passes 1.1° to the lower right of Gamma Virginis (γ Vir). Mercury is 4.5° to the left of Spica.
November 6: Mercury is about 5° to the left of Spica.
November 9: This is the morning of the Venus – Mars opposition. Venus no longer appears in the sky with Mars. They appear together again next year when Venus enters the evening sky.
November 10: Look for brilliant Venus low in the east-southeast before sunrise. Mercury is at its greatest elongation (apparent separation from the sun). It is 6.9° to the lower left of Spica.
November 11: The lunar crescent is nearly 20° to the upper right of brilliant Venus. The planet – over 18° up in the east – is 7.5° above Spica and 0.9° to the upper right of Theta Virginis (θ Vir). Bright Mercury is 7.8° to the lower left of Spica. By 45 minutes before sunrise, the speedy planet is over 9° up in the east-southeast
November 12: One hour before sunrise, the crescent moon is 6.5° above Venus. Forty-five minutes before sunrise, bright Mercury is nearly 13° to the lower left of Venus. In a clear sky, today and tomorrow morning are excellent times to photograph the morning sky. A crescent moon with Venus is always a photo-attractive scene.
November 16-20, Venus passes and moves away from Spica and continues eastward in the constellation, crossing into Libra as the month concludes.
November 13: One hour before sunrise, Venus is over 8° to the upper right of the lunar crescent and 5.5° to the upper left of Spica. Mercury is nearly 13° to the lower left of Venus.
November 16: Venus passes 3.8° to the upper left of Spica. Mercury is 13.0° to the lower left of Venus.
November 21: Look for Venus low in the eastern sky about 1 hour before sunrise. Use a binocular to spot Mercury 1.8° to the upper left of Zubenelgenubi. Both are low in the east-southeast about 45 minutes before sunrise. Each morning continue to attempt to locate Mercury low in the east-southeast about 45 minutes before sunrise. As the month wanes, Mercury disappears from the morning sky, leaving Venus as the lone bright morning planet.
November 25: Venus passes 1.1° to the lower right of Kappa Virginis (κ Vir)
November 28: Venus moves into Libra, 6.9° to the upper right of Zubenelgenubi.
The brilliant Morning Star Venus continues to step through Virgo. It is that “bright star in the eastern sky” before sunrise. This morning Venus is near Beta Virginis. In the evening sky, the gibbous moon is between Mars and Jupiter, and near the star Fomalhaut. Mars is in the east-southeast. Jupiter and Saturn are in the east-southeast.
Bright Morning Star Venus continues to sparkle in the eastern sky before sunrise. It shines from in front of the stars of Virgo. Evening planet Mars appears in the eastern sky while Jupiter and Saturn are in the south-southwest. The bright gibbous moon shines from the stars of Capricornus.
In this commentary is a different idea about year-round daylight time, based on astronomical concepts for the mid-northern latitudes. Year-round or not, a different approach may yield better results.
2020, November 1: Forty-five minutes before sunrise, Venus shines brilliantly from the east-southeastern sky. Mercury is 3.9° to the lower left of Spica, about 4° above the horizon. Use a binocular to see them.
Speedy Mercury joins Morning Star Venus in the eastern sky before sunrise. The first rock from the sun is entering the morning sky for its best appearance of the year. In the evening, Mars shines in the eastern sky, while in the south-southwest Jupiter edges toward its Great Conjunction with Saturn on December 21, 2020.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:24 a.m. CST; Sunset, 4:44 p.m. CST. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times in different locations. (If you observe Daylight Saving Time in the USA, did you set your clock back to standard time, if your region uses it?)
On November 9, Venus and Mars are no longer in the morning sky together for the remainder of the calendar. They join each other next year in the evening sky. At 4 a.m. CST, Mars is low in the west and Venus is low in the east. As Mars leaves the sky in the west, Mercury is making its way into the eastern morning sky with Venus. Morning Star Venus continues to move eastward in the constellation Virgo. Use a binocular each morning to see the changing position of the planet. Farther west, the bright moon is about one-third of the way up in the west-southwest. The lunar orb is over 16° to the left of Hamal, the brightest star in Aries.
About 45 minutes before sunrise, Venus shines brightly in the eastern sky. Find a clear horizon and use a binocular to find Mercury very low in the east-southeast. The star Spica (Virgo) is nearly 4° to the upper right of Mercury. This speedy planet is beginning its best morning appearance of the year, when the plane of the solar system is conveniently tilted to see the first rock from the sun.
Detailed morning note: Two and a half hours before sunrise (4 a.m. CST), Mars (m = −2.1) is over 5° up in the west. At this hour Venus (m = −4.0) is about the same altitude in the east. This morning the planets are nearly 169° of ecliptic longitude apart. The Venus – Mars opposition occurs soon. Next week, Mars sets before Venus rises, leaving Mercury as the second morning planet. While Mars is low in the west, the moon (15.6d, 100%) is over 30° up in the west-southwest and about the same distance to the upper left of the Red Planet. The bright moon is in Aries, over 16° to the left of Hamal (α Ari, m = 2.0). At about an hour before sunrise, Venus is over 20° in altitude above the east-southeast horizon. Through a telescope, Venus is 13.1” across and 81% illuminated. The brilliant planet is 0.3° to the lower left of Eta Virginis (η Vir, m = 3.9). Fifteen minutes later, Spica (α Vir, m = 1.0), about 4° up in the east-southeast, is 3.9° to the upper right of Mercury (m = 1.3). A binocular will help with the initial identification of the speedy planet.
2020, November 2: Jupiter is 5.0° to the lower right of Saturn, about one hour after sunset. Look toward the south-southwest.
Evening: One hour after sunset, Jupiter and Saturn are in the south-southwest. Bright Jupiter is 5.0° to the lower right of dimmer Saturn. Both planets appear as overly bright stars. They are both slowly moving eastward compared to the stars. Nightly observations with a binocular show their gentle eastward trek in front of the starry background. Mars is farther eastward at this hour, less than one-third of the way up in the sky. It continues to retrograde in eastern Pisces. This apparent motion, compared to the stars, ends later this month. About two hours after sunset, the bright moon is low in the east-northeast. Jupiter sets at about 9:15 p.m. CST, followed by Saturn about 30 minutes later.
Detailed evening note: An hour after sunset, Jupiter (m = −2.2) is about 24° up in the south-southwest, 5.0° to the lower right of dimmer Saturn (m = 0.6). Jupiter continues to close in on Saturn before the Great Conjunction on December 21, 2020. In the starfield Jupiter is 4.5° to the lower right of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr, m = 4.8) and 1.1° to the lower left of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr, m = 5.6). Saturn is 2.0° to the lower left of 56 Sgr. Mars is 85.3° of ecliptic longitude east of Jupiter. Since its closest approach about a month ago, Mars’ apparent diameter has decreased over 12%. The Red Planet is 21.0° up in the east-southeast, 2.0° to the upper right of 80 Piscium (80 Psc, m = 5.5) and 3.2° to the lower right of Epsilon Piscium (ε Psc, m =4.2). Mars continues to retrograde in this dim Pisces starfield. Two hours after sunset, the moon (16.2d, 98%) is over 10° up in the east-northeast.
For more about the Great Conjunction, read our feature article. This is the closest Jupiter – Saturn conjunction since 1623.
2020, October 26: Venus is 0.9° to the lower left of β Vir and 2.0° to the right of 7 Virginis (7 Vir). Use a binocular to observe that Venus is below a line from β Vir to 7 Vir, m = 5.3).
Brilliant Morning Star Venus shines in the eastern sky among the stars of Pisces. Mars is visible earlier in the morning, but is low in the sky when Venus rises. In the evening, Mars shines from the east, while Jupiter and Saturn are in the south-southwest as a prelude to their Great Conjunction on December 21, 2020. The moon appears to the upper right of Mars.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:17 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 5:52 p.m. CDT. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times for other locations.
Morning: About two hours before sunrise, find Mars low in the west, while Venus is low in the east. On November 9, Mars begins setting before Venus rises. From your observing spot what is the last date you can find both planets in the sky at the same time because of terrestrial obstructions? Venus rejoins Mars in the evening sky next year.
About an hour before sunrise, Brilliant Venus is in the east-southeast. It is the brightest “star” in that part of the sky. Use a binocular to observe that the planet is below a line from Beta Virginis (β Vir on the chart above) to 7 Virginis (7 Vir).
With the binocular watch Venus move eastward (downward compared to these stars) each morning.
Detailed morning note: Two hours before sunrise, Mars is less than 8° in altitude above the western horizon. An hour later, Venus is nearly 22° up in the east-southeast. It is 0.9° to the lower left of Beta Virginis (β Vir). Use a binocular to observe that Venus is below a line from β Vir to 7 Virginis (7 Vir). Venus is 2.0° to the right of 7 Vir.
See our summary about Venus during October 2020 and the feature article about Venus as a Morning Star.
2020, October 26: One hour after sunset, the moon is over 30° to the upper right of Mars.
Evening: In the evening, an hour after sunset, three planets are in the sky along with the bright gibbous moon. Bright Mars is to the left of the moon in the east-southeast. Jupiter and Saturn are to the right of the moon in the west-southwest.
Mars is retrograding in Pisces. This apparent westward motion, compared to the distant stars, is from our planet passing and moving away from the Red Planet.
Jupiter and Saturn are moving eastward in Sagittarius.
Use a binocular to make nightly observations to observe the planets’ slow apparent motions. The binocular may also reveal up to four moons of Jupiter. They appear as stars next to the planet.
Detailed evening note: One hour after sunset, Mars is over 17° up in the east. The gibbous moon (10.2 days after New moon, 82% illuminated) – over 24° up in the east-southeast – is 5.0° to the left of δ Aqr. With the moon’s brightness, use a binocular to see the dimmer starfield. Farther west, Jupiter is about 25° up in the south-southwest. Saturn is 5.6° to the upper left of the brighter Jovian Giant. In the starfield, Jupiter is 4.2° to the lower left of Pi Sagittarius (π Sgr) and 0.6° to the lower left of 50 Sagittarius (50 Sgr). Saturn is 1.9° to the lower left of 56 Sagittarius (56 Sgr). Two hours after sunset, Mars is over 28° up in the east-southeast. Mars is 1.0° to the lower right of 80 Piscium (80 Psc) and 3.2° to the lower right of Epsilon Piscium (ε Psc). At this hour Jupiter and Saturn are in the south-southwestern sky.
For more about the Great Conjunction, read our feature article. This is the closest Jupiter – Saturn conjunction since 1623.
Mars and Morning Star Venus are nearing their opposition so that they do not appear together in the morning sky for the remainder of 2020. In the evening sky, three planets – Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – along with the moon, are easy to locate.
Bright Mars is visible in the western sky before sunrise. Brilliant Venus makes its last appearance in Leo for this morning apparition. In the evening sky, the crescent moon is near Jupiter and Saturn, while bright Mars begins the night in the east-southeast.
Morning Star Venus and Mars are approaching the date when they do not appear in the morning sky again for the remainder of the year. The lunar crescent appears among the stars of Sagittarius, near giant planets Jupiter and Saturn as they approach their Great Conjunction on December 21, 2020.
2020, October 25: One hour before sunrise, Venus is 0.9° to the upper left of Beta Virginis (β Vir on the chart above). With a binocular note that Venus, β Vir, and Nu Virginis (ν Vir) nearly make a line.
The brilliant Morning Star Venus continues to step through Virgo. It is that “bright star in the eastern sky” before sunrise. This morning Venus is near Beta Virginis. In the evening sky, the gibbous moon is between Mars and Jupiter, and near the star Fomalhaut. Mars is in the east-southeast. Jupiter and Saturn are in the east-southeast.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:15 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 5:54 p.m. CDT. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times for other locations.
International Space Station Pass (Chicago, Illinois area) begins at 6:04 a.m. CDT in the west-southwest. It reaches its highest point about 65° up in the north-northwest at 6:06 a.m. CDT. It disappears at 6:09 a.m. CDT about 10° up in the northeast. Find an unobstructed view to the north and east. The ISS passes near the Pleiades in the west, passes higher in the sky near the star Capella, and passes the Big Dipper in the northeast before it disappears. The ISS makes a 17 second appearance in the east, altitude 11°, at 4:31 a.m. CDT.
Morning: Mars and Venus appear farther apart in the morning sky. Venus continues stepping eastward in Virgo as Mars retrogrades in Pisces. About two hours before sunrise, Mars is nearly 9° up in the west, and Venus has an altitude of 11° in the east. Mars is no longer seen in the sky at the same time as Venus after November 9 when they are in opposite directions from Earth. Mars sets as Venus rises, a Venus – Mars opposition. Mars and Venus are visible in the sky together next spring when both appear in the evening sky.
This morning, about an hour before sunrise, Venus is 0.9° to the upper left of Beta Virginis (β Vir on the chart above). With a binocular note that Venus, β Vir, and Nu Virginis (ν Vir) nearly make a line.
Today, Mercury is at inferior conjunction, between Earth and Sun. It rapidly races into the morning sky. Look for it next month, low in the eastern sky before sunrise, below Venus. The speedy planet makes its best morning appearance of the year next month.
Detailed morning note: Now setting about 70 minutes before sunrise, Mars is nearly 9° up in the west, two hours before sunrise. At this hour Venus is about 11° up in the east. The Venus – Mars gap is 159.0° of ecliptic longitude. Within three weeks, Mars sets before Venus rises, a Venus – Mars opposition. The brilliant planet passes 0.9° to the upper left of Beta Virginis (β Vir). One hour before sunrise, find them nearly 22° in altitude in the east-southeast. With a binocular notice that NuVirginis (ν Vir), Venus, and β Vir are nearly in a line. Venus is 3.9° to the lower right of ν Vir. Through a telescope, Venus is 13.6” across and 80% illuminated, a morning gibbous phase. Mercury is at inferior conjunction at 1:23 p.m. CDT. It quickly emerges into the morning sky for its best morning apparition of the year.
See our summary about Venus during October 2020 and the feature article about Venus as a Morning Star.
2020, October 25: Two hours after sunset, the gibbous moon appears in the south-southeast, over 15° to the upper right of Fomalhaut. Mars about 45° to the left of the lunar orb. The moon is about midway from Mars to Jupiter.
Evening: The moon and three planets shine during the evening hours. The bright gibbous moon is among the stars of Aquarius.
One hour after sunset, the moon is in the south-southeast above the star Fomalhaut. The lunar orb appears nearly between Mars and Jupiter. Mars is in the east-southeast, while bright Jupiter is in the south-southwest. Saturn is 5.6° to the upper left of Jupiter.
The giant-planet pair is slowly moving eastward compared to the starry background of Sagittarius. Jupiter overtakes Saturn on December 21, 2020 for a Great Conjunction.
Detailed evening note:One hour after sunset, the moon (9.2d, 74%) is nearly 26° up in the south-southeast in Aquarius. Use a binocular to spot Delta Aquarii (δ Aqr, m =3.2), 8.1° to the lower left of the gibbous moon. Saturn is nearly 27° up in the south, 5.6° to the upper left of bright Jupiter. Both planets are moving eastward in Sagittarius. In the starfield, Saturn is 1.8° to the lower left of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr). Jupiter is 4.1° to the lower left of Pi Sagittarii (π Sgr) and 0.6° below 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr). At this hour, Mars is over 16° up in the east. The Mars – Jupiter gap is 87.4° of ecliptic longitude. This gap continues to close until Mars resumes its eastward direction next month. Then the gap widens relatively quickly. Two hours after sunset, the Red Planet is over 27° in altitude above the east-southeast horizon. In the starfield, Mars is 0.9° to the lower right of 80 Piscium (80 Psc) and 3.2° to the lower right of Epsilon Piscium (ε Psc). At this hour, Saturn is nearly 24° up in the south-southwest with Jupiter to its lower right.
For more about the Great Conjunction, read our feature article. This is the closest Jupiter – Saturn conjunction since 1623.
Brilliant Morning Star Venus shines from the east-southeast before sunrise. It is in front of the stars of Leo. In the evening, the lunar crescent is in the southwest, not far from Jupiter and Saturn that are approaching their Great Conjunction on December 21, 2020. Bright Mars shines from the evening’s eastern sky.
Arcturus returns to the morning sky – its helical rising. Morning Star Venus and Mars are visible before sunrise. Evening planets Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are visible after sunset.
The crescent moon is low in the west about 30 minutes after sunset near the star Antares. Four bright planets – Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – are visible during the night.
2020, October 24: Brilliant Venus shines in front of the stars of Virgo. This morning it is 1.9° above Beta Virginis (β Vir). Notice that the planet is in a line with Denebola – the Lion’s Tail – and Nu Virginis (ν Vir).
Bright Morning Star Venus continues to sparkle in the eastern sky before sunrise. It shines from in front of the stars of Virgo. Evening planet Mars appears in the eastern sky while Jupiter and Saturn are in the south-southwest. The bright gibbous moon shines from the stars of Capricornus.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:14 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 5:55 p.m. CDT. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times in different locations.
International Space Station Pass (Chicago, Illinois area) begins at 5:16 a.m. CDT in the south-southeast. It reaches its highest point about 26° up in the southeast at 5:17 a.m. CDT. It disappears at 5:20 a.m. CDT about 10° up in the east-northeast. Find an unobstructed view to the east. The ISS first appears to the lower left of Sirius and moves toward Venus, passing above the brilliant planet. The station is brighter than Sirius, but dimmer than Venus.
2020, October 24: Mars shines in the west among the stars of Pisces. This morning the Red Planet is 0.7° to the lower left of 80 Piscium (80 Psc), 3.3° to the lower left of Epsilon Piscium (ε Psc), and 2.9° to the lower left of Zeta Piscium (ζ Psc).
Morning: Mars is rapidly disappearing from the morning sky. It is low in the west as Venus rises in the east. An hour before sunrise, find brilliant Venus in the east-southeast. It is among the stars of Virgo. Use a binocular to view it 1.9° above Beta Virginis (β Vir on the chart). Notice that the planet makes a line with the Lion’s Tail, Denebola, and Nu Virginis (ν Vir). Venus continues to step eastward among the stars. Use a binocular to watch the planet pass β Vir during the next two mornings.
2020, October 24: Brilliant Morning Star Venus shines from the morning sky in front of the stars of Virgo. It is 1.9° above Beta Virginis (β Vir) and 3.4° to the lower right of Nu Virginis (ν Vir).
Detailed morning note: Ninety minutes before sunrise, Mars is over 4° in altitude in the west. Thirty minutes later, Venus is 22.0° up in the east-southeast. It is 1.9° above β Vir. Notice that Denebola, ν Vir, and Venus are nearly in a line. Venus is 3.4° to the lower right of ν Vir and 11.4° to the lower right of the Lion’s Tail.
See our summary about Venus during October 2020 and the feature article about Venus as a Morning Star.
2020, October 24: The bright gibbous moon is to the left of the Jupiter – Saturn planet pair. The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 5.7°.
Evening: As the sky darkens in the evening, the gibbous moon is nearly one-third of the way up in the sky in the south-southeast. It is among the stars of Capricornus. Mars is above the tree line and rising higher during the evening. The planet is retrograding in Pisces. The westward motion of the planet compared to the starry background of Pisces is from the earth passing Mars and moving away from it. (See our Mars summary for October here.) Jupiter and Saturn are in the south-southwest in front of the stars of Sagittarius. Both planets are moving eastward compared to the background stars, but slower than Mars’ motion. Jupiter catches Saturn for a Great Conjunction on December 21, 2020. Make nightly observations to watch the gap slowly close during the next several weeks.
Detailed evening note:One hour after sunset, the moon (8.2 days past the New moon phase, 65% illuminated) is nearly 26° in altitude in the south-southeast. It is 4.1° to the lower right of Gamma Capricorni (γ Cap, m = 3.6). Mars is 16.0° up in the east. Farther west along the ecliptic, Jupiter is nearly 25° up in the south-southwest. Saturn is 5.7° to the upper left of brighter Jupiter. In the starfield, Jupiter is 0.6° to the lower left of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr). Saturn is 1.8° to the lower left of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr). An hour later, Mars is nearly 27° up in the east-southeast. In the starfield, the Red Planet is 0.8° to the lower right of 80 Piscium (80 Psc) and 3.2° to the lower right of Epsilon (ε Psc). The moon is about 28° up in the south with Saturn and Jupiter to the gibbous moon’s lower right.
For more about the Great Conjunction, read our feature article. This is the closest Jupiter – Saturn conjunction since 1623.
A New moon is visible low in the western sky after sunset. Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are visible during the night. Jupiter continues to close the gap to Saturn before the Great Conjunction of 2020.
Four planets are visible on October 15. Venus and Mars are in the morning sky. Mars returns to the sky during the early evening along with Jupiter and Saturn.
In this commentary is a different idea about year-round daylight time, based on astronomical concepts for the mid-northern latitudes. Year-round or not, a different approach may yield better results.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
From the beginning, here’s the conclusion, there’s no daylight to save during the months with the least daylight. Also note that “DST (Daylight Saving Time) is simply a work-time arrangement,” from a paper from the European Union published at the National Institutes of Health (nih.org). We change our clocks to have more daylight during the evening hours, when there’s daylight available to shift. The arrangement would work better if the clocks returned to year-round standard time to allow companies, schools, and families determine their own schedules.
The authors of the above study cite myths around DST, including one that shifting the clock one hour ahead creates an extra hour of daylight. Rather, it moves time one time zone eastward. The authors conclude, that countries should consider “Obliterating DST (in favor of permanent Standard Time) and reassigning countries and regions to their actual sun-clock based time zones. Under such adjustment, social (local) clock time will match sun clock time and therefore body clock time most closely.”
Companies and other organizations can provide flexible work times or change their shifts if their employees want “longer evenings” at particular times of the year. The authors advocate for year-round standard time.
Around the equinoxes, the popular press focuses on daylight and nighttime; this is followed by a twice-yearly rant about changing the clocks. When I consider my notes and articles about the sky, I look farther into daylight and nighttime. I break the latter into twilight and darkness. Twilight, after sunset or before sunrise, has three phases. Civil Twilight occurs when the sun is 6° below the horizon. Nautical Twilight occurs when the sky is 12° below the horizon, and Astronomical Twilight occurs at the −18° mark. When the sun is 18° below the horizon, throughout the night and until it reaches −18° altitude in the east, the sky is as dark as it gets naturally. Statements like, “Dark as midnight,” “darkest before the dawn,” and other similar metaphors have nothing to do with the reality of darkness of the night, and they are inaccurate statements of nature’s light and dark cycles.
I break the 24 hour cycle into daylight, twilight, and darkness – the time after evening twilight ends and morning twilight begins. Daylight and darkness are equal during late October and then again during early February.
The study reviews the history of the topic, an analysis of energy consumption, a discussion of effective drive times, and an analysis of daylight during January. The final conclusion of the article is to keep daylight time during the colder months to mitigate evening driving difficulties.
Chapman discounts claims about children safety with, “If morning darkness is perceived to pose a danger to kids in some places, schools could push back their start times an hour.” Anybody with children in high school activities know their children already arrive home as late as 10 p.m. from practices and performances. Adding another hour to their arrival time is not acceptable to parents, even when school starts an hour later the next morning.
The issue of daylight is not only with January, but starts earlier. By mid-October, the shortening daytime length is noticeable. I have looked at three analyses. One looks from the time of equal daylight and darkness – the time beginning at the end of evening twilight and ending at the beginning of morning twilight – that occurs during late October and recurs during early February. The winter solstice is the mid-point of the time interval. The second looks at centering the study on the date of Earth’s perihelion (January 2). The third considers the time around when the sun is truly in the south, at the meridian, at noon on the clock. Here’s what I found:
For the first analysis, I looked at the length of daylight from about the time of equal day – equal darkness, centering on the winter solstice about 50 days later and ending a few days after the equal daylight – equal darkness day, 50 days later, for a total time interval for 101 days, used for all three reviews. I used sunrise, sunset, and twilight data from the U.S. Naval Observatory for Chicago, Illinois.
For this purpose, the first day is Halloween (10 hours, 24 minutes of daylight). On the winter solstice, daylight lasts 9 hours, 8 minutes. The interval ends on February 10, 2021 (10 hours, 25 minutes). During that 101 days the average day length is 9 hours, 35 minutes. Because averages “are affected by the extremes,” the median (middle) value is 9 hours, 33 minutes. So, there’s no extreme value to affect the average, indicating that the change across the interval is slow and consistent without wild variations. For 38 days (December 2 – January 9) daylight is less than or equal to 9 hours, 20 minutes.
In the second review, I looked at 101 days centering on the perihelion date (January 2), when Earth is closest to the sun. The average day is 9 hours, 38 minutes, while the median value is 9 hours, 29 minutes.
This might be a surprise that the sun is not precisely south every day when our clocks read noon. Sometimes the sun reaches the south point before clock noon and sometimes later. This is from the earth’s non-circular revolution around the sun and the planet’s 23.5° tilt.
In the third review, the 101 days are centered on the date when the sun is precisely south at noon in Chicago, Illinois (January 14). The average day is 9 hours, 48 minutes, while the median in 9 hours, 28 minutes.
While the mid-point days span 24 days, the average range difference is only 13 minutes, hardly any time to save. The longer interval gives a larger indication of the daylight available during the colder months at the mid-latitudes, rather than a single month after the winter solstice.
Again, regardless of the time interval that is studied across many days with short daylight, there is no daylight to save during the cold months, when 8.5 hours of work (including a meal break) and an hour of commuting time, 30 minutes each way, are factored in. Recall that DST is simply a work-time arrangement.
Health experts have weighed in on changing the clock. The CDC (cdc.gov) described communication that companies should use with their employees to mitigate time change. The National Institutes of Health (nih.gov) has a paper that describes health risks of changing the clock twice a year. Cardiac risk is documented to be higher in the spring when the clocks are advanced an hour. Further, this is elevated for individuals who sleep less than 6 hours each night. The article’s authors further note that cardiac incidents could be related to the colder temperatures of March, when the time change is implemented in the US. The authors conclude: “The following is an easy strategy: (a) move bedtime 1 hour a few days prior to the spring shift, to limit sleep deprivation effects; and (b) take care in exposing oneself to abrupt changes of temperature in the immediate post-shift days.”
The authors ask, “Could such an easy combination of sleep strategies, scarves, hats, and gloves effectively reduce the Cardiovascular effects of DST?”
Consider this conclusion in that year-round daylight time was in effect only one year, 1974. Critics of year-round daylight time often cite the deaths of eight children as a reason to turn back the clocks in autumn. Often public policy is driven by such dramatic events. Even private lives are guided by profound personal events that families might say that “we’re not doing that again.”
Admittingly, it’s a challenge making the hour jump forward each spring and it has documented health effects. Time change for travel outside the home time zone has its individual consequences. That does not prevent local or world travel, even knowing the minimal or maximum effects of jet lag.
Certainly, the recommendations of Ronnenberg, Winnebeck, and Klerman – the authors of the first study referenced – are worth considering. Keeping standard time and allowing organizations to modify their own work calendars gives immediate and local control to those the decision affects. Further a relook at the time zone dimensions to connect them to regional and local work and social patterns is worth a consideration. What works in Boston is not necessarily effective in Grand Rapids. Both are in the same time zone, but nearly an hour apart according to the sun’s travel. The same for North Platte, Nebraska and Ogallala, Nebraska. They are about 50 miles and a time zone apart.
So, in conclusion: There’s no daylight to save during the cold months. DST is simply a work-time arrangement. This issue might be better resolved with a return to year-round standard time, allowing local schools, businesses, and families decide their own summertime and wintertime schedules, with the guidance of the health concerns of the CDC. In the long-term, a national study of how time zones better fit solar time and personal time would help policy makers decide whether time zone realignment is necessary, rather than considering year-round daylight time. Let’s just delete the idea of year-round daylight time. We can have more daylight in the evening through year-round standard time with localities and organizations determining their own schedules.
On November 1, 2020, the clock returns to Standard Time. Let’s keep the clock there.
During early October nights four bright planets and the moon appear in the sky. Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars shine during evening hours. Before sunrise brilliant Morning Star Venus and Mars gleam in the sky.
Brilliant Venus, bright Mars, and the gibbous moon shine brightly in the morning sky. Mars shines from Pisces in the western sky. Venus is “that bright star” in the east before sunrise.
2020, October 23: Venus shines from the eastern sky before sunrise. The planet is 3.2° to the lower right of Nu Virginis (ν Vir) and 3.0° above Beta Virginis (β Vir).
Mars and Morning Star Venus are nearing their opposition so that they do not appear together in the morning sky for the remainder of 2020. In the evening sky, three planets – Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – along with the moon, are easy to locate.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:13 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 5:56 p.m. CDT. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times in different locations.
International Space Station Pass (Chicago, Illinois area) begins at 6:02 a.m. CDT low in the south-southwest. It reaches its highest point about 44° up in the southeast at 6:05 a.m. CDT. It disappears at 6:08 a.m. CDT about 10° up in the east-northeast. Find an unobstructed view to the south and east. The ISS moves below Sirius in the south-southwest, beneath Regulus and above Venus in the east. The station is brighter than Sirius and dimmer than Venus. This is an excellent opportunity to see the passage of the ISS across the sky.
Morning: It’s time to make the “last call” to see Mars and Venus in the morning sky together for the rest of 2020. Mars is low in the west 90 minutes before sunrise, while Venus is about 15° up in the east. On November 9, the planets are in opposition – appear in opposite directions in the sky. Mars sets in the west as Venus rises in the east. What is the last day you see Venus in the eastern sky and Mars in the western morning sky? When Venus moves back into the evening sky next year, they again appear in the sky at the same time. As Venus rises higher, the starfield of Virgo becomes easier to see. The planet is near the stars Nu Virginis (ν Vir) and Beta Virginis (β Vir).
Detailed morning note: Ninety minutes before sunrise, Mars is over 5° up in the west. The planet sets one hour before sunrise this morning. At this hour, brilliant Venus is over 22° in altitude in the east-southeast. Venus is in Virgo. It moves through the constellation in 36 days. In the starfield, the planet is 3.2° to the lower right of ν Vir and 3.0° above β Vir. The moon reaches its First Quarter phase at 8:23 a.m. CDT.
See our summary about Venus during October 2020 and the feature article about Venus as a Morning Star.
2020, October 23: The slightly gibbous moon is about 11° to the lower left of Saturn in the southern sky about one hour after sunset. The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 5.8°.
Evening: Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are in the evening sky. Jupiter and Saturn are in the south-southwest as a prelude to the Great Conjunction on December 21, 2020. The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 5.8°. Saturn is to the upper left of Jupiter. The planets are slowly moving eastward compared to the starry background of eastern Sagittarius. (See the starry background for Jupiter and Saturn here.) Jupiter sets in the southwest before 10:45 p.m. CDT. The slightly gibbous moon is to the lower left of Saturn. Farther eastward, bright Mars is retrograding among dim stars in Pisces. The Red Planet sets tomorrow morning about an hour before sunrise. (See our Mars summary for October here.)
Detailed evening note:One hour after sunset, the slightly gibbous moon (7.2 days after the New moon phase, 55% illuminated), 25.0° up in the south in southwest Capricornus, is 11° to the lower left of Saturn. The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 5.8°. In the starfield, Saturn is 1.8° to the lower left of 56 Sgr. Jupiter is 3.9° to the lower left of π Sgr and 0.6° below 50 Sgr. At this hour, Mars is over 15° in altitude in the east. Two hours after sunset, Mars is 25° in altitude in the east-southeast. The Red Planet is 0.8° to the lower right of 80 Psc and 3.4° to the lower right of ε Psc.
For more about the Great Conjunction, read our feature article. This is the closest Jupiter – Saturn conjunction since 1623.
