Advertisements Just 5 days before the Epoch Conjunction of 2016, Venus and Jupiter shine from the western sky this evening as seen from the Chicago area on an unseasonably cool and clear evening. Tonight pair is 5 degrees apart. (See… Read More ›
Mars
2016, August 6: Five Planets
Advertisements This evening five planets appear in the west and southern sky, along with the moon as seen from the Chicago area. With a very good western horizon, Venus appeared low in the bright colors of twilight. First found with… Read More ›
2016, July 13-16: Moon and Planets
Advertisements The moon passes Mars and Saturn during mid-July, 2016. The chart above shows the planets and the star Antares during the four evenings. Mars appears as a bright reddish star low in the south as the sky darkens. It… Read More ›
2016, August 4: 5 Planets in Evening Sky
Advertisements During August 2016 the five naked eye planets can be seen in the south and western sky, although binoculars and a clear western horizon are needed to make the initial observations of Venus and Mercury.. Venus is slowly emerging… Read More ›
2016: June 6, Mars, Jupiter & Saturn
Advertisements Mars and Saturn shine from the southeastern sky this evening as seen from the Chicago area. Mars appears as a red-orange star low in the sky. Saturn, just past opposition, appears to the left of the Red Planet…. Read More ›
2016: Mars Retrograde
Advertisements This chart shows the retrograde motion of Mars during 2016. Opposition occurred on May 22. Mars resumes its apparent eastward motion among the stars on June 30.
2016, May 22: Mars at Opposition
Advertisements Mars at Opposition 2016. For more about Mars at opposition see this posting.
2016: Mars and Saturn, Two Oppositions
Advertisements Mars and Saturn reach opposition during late Spring. Mars (astronomically) appears opposite the sun, just after it sets, as seen from the Chicago area, on May 22. On the previous evening, Mars appears near the moon, Saturn, and the… Read More ›
Curiosity Mars Rover Crosses Rugged Plateau
Advertisements NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has nearly finished crossing a stretch of the most rugged and difficult-to-navigate terrain encountered during the mission’s 44 months on Mars. The rover climbed onto the “Naukluft Plateau” of lower Mount Sharp in early March… Read More ›
2016: April 25: Mars, Saturn and Moon
Advertisements On the evening/morning of April 24/25, the moon appears near Mars and Saturn in front of the stars of Scorpius with its bright star Antares. Mars is nearing opposition (May 22) and it is the brightest “star” in this… Read More ›