2022: The morning sky is full of planet activity. Morning Star Venus passes Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. Look eastward for the dance of planets before sunrise during the year.
Spica
2021, December 18: Venus Retrogrades
December 18, 2021: Venus begins to retrograde this evening. It appears in the southwest after sunset, along with bright Jupiter and Saturn. The moon is caught between the Bull’s horns this evening. In the morning sky, Mars passes the star Graffias.
2021, December 16: Venus – Saturn Closest
December 16, 2021: Venus and Saturn are closest this evening. Jupiter is to the upper left of Saturn. The bright moon is in the eastern sky. In the morning sky, Mars moves through Scorpius.
2021, December 7-9: Moon, Evening Planets
December 7-9, 2021: The crescent appears with Jupiter and Saturn in the southern sky after sundown. Meanwhile, Mars continues its slow climb into the morning sky.
2021, November 29 – December 1: Morning Moon, Evening Planets
November 29 – December 1, 2021: The morning crescent moon moves through the constellation Virgo on November 29, November 30, and December 1. Mars is slowly climbing into the morning sky. Evening Star Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter are in the southwest after sundown.
2021, October 31: NO Halloween Full Moon
October 31, 2021: There is no Halloween Full moon this year, and the phase is not close. The crescent moon is in the morning sky. Mercury is low in the east-southeast before sunrise. The planet pack – Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter – gleam in the evening sky.
2021, September 9: Rare Venus, Moon, Spica Spectacular
September 9, 2021: After this evening’s grouping, Evening Star Venus, the crescent moon, and Spica do not appear this close together until 2026. This is one of four groupings that fit into the same binocular field through 2036. For the fifth occasion during this evening apparition of Venus, the moon passes the brilliant Evening Star.
2021, September 6: Evening Planets
September 6, 2021: Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn shine in the evening sky. The moon is at its New moon phase at 7:52 p.m. CDT.
2021, September 5: Venus – Spica Conjunction
September 5, 2021: Venus passes Spica this evening in a widely-spaced conjunction.
2021, September 4: Moon’s Morning Tour
September 4, 2021: The moon’s star cluster tour continues this morning with the Beehive star cluster. In the evening sky, just one day before its conjunction with Spica, find the brilliant planet in the west-southwest after sunset.