2023, Evening Sky

2023:  The evening sky has a parade of bright planets, featuring Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury and Mars.  Venus passes Saturn and Jupiter after sunset, but it does not reach Mars.

2022, January 13:  Mercury, Saturn Remain Close

January 13, 2022:  Mercury and Saturn are still close to their near-conjunction point.  The gap between them is a little wider this evening.  Jupiter is the “bright star” in the southwest, to the upper left of Saturn after sundown.  The evening moon is in front of Taurus.  In the morning, Mars continues its slow climb into the morning sky, while Venus is zipping through pre-dawn twilight

2022, January 12:  Mercury – Saturn Near Conjunction

January 12, 2022:  Mercury moves to 3.4° to Saturn.  This quasi-conjunction, or near conjunction, of the two planets is visible in southwest about 45 minutes after sunset.  Jupiter is to Saturn’s upper left.  The bright moon is near the Pleiades.  Before sunrise, look for Mars low in the southeast.  Venus is becoming visible during bright twilight.

2021, February 23: Mercury-Saturn Conjunction, Almost!

February 23, 2021: Jupiter and Saturn are returning to the morning sky. Before sunrise, Mercury is near Saturn in a quasi-conjunction, a near conjunction. Mercury does not pass Saturn. During the evening, Mars is closing in on the Pleiades star cluster while the bright moon is near Pollux.