Might 23, 2023: The moon occults or eclipses Antares. A Venus-Jupiter conjunction happens in shiny daylight.
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by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Dawn, 5:23 a.m. CDT; Sundown, 8:12 p.m. CDT. Examine native sources for dawn and sundown instances. Instances are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA laptop program.
Moon-Antares Occultation
Tonight, the moon occults or eclipses the brilliant star Antares, the Scorpion’s coronary heart. Throughout an occultation, the moon slowly covers the star, stays in entrance of the star for a time period, after which uncovers it.
This occultation is seen from western Africa, Caribbean basin, Central America, Africa, and the American Southeast. The occasion ends because the moon rises from the American Midwest. It isn’t seen from western time zones, though the lunar disk may be very near the star.
For instance, from Charleston, South Carolina, the occultation begins at 9:19 p.m. Jap Time, ending at 10:15 p.m.
Whereas the moon is shiny, the star is pretty straightforward to see with out optical assist, though a binocular or recognizing scope helps with the view.
Venus-Jupiter Conjunction
Right this moment, Venus passes Jupiter in a really shut conjunction. The planets are close to the solar and hidden within the solar’s blazing mild. The sensible mild might be dimmed by trying by way of eclipse glasses, however the planets are too dim to see by way of the glasses’ robust filtration. For sensible observing, this conjunction just isn’t seen.
The subsequent Venus-Jupiter conjunction happens within the japanese sky earlier than dawn on August 12, 2025. The next desk summarizes the subsequent 5 conjunctions.
Future Venus-Jupiter Conjunctions
| Date | Time | Notes |
| 2025, August 12 | Morning | One hour earlier than dawn, Venus is about 20° up within the east-northeast. The Venus-Jupiter separation is 0.9°. Venus is 12.0° from Gemini’s Pollux. |
| 2026, June 9 | Night | One hour after sundown, Venus is over 15° above the west-northwest horizon. The Venus-Jupiter hole is 1.6°. Mercury is 13.8° to Venus’ decrease proper. Venus is 5.3° beneath Gemini’s Pollux. |
| 2027, August 25 | Daytime | This shut conjunction, 0.5°, happens close to the solar. Venus is just 4° east of the central star. |
| 2028, November 16 | Morning | At 45 minutes earlier than dawn, Venus is about 20° up within the east-southeast. The planets’ separation is 0.7°. Venus is 8.2° above Virgo’s Spica. Mars is almost 40° to Venus’ higher left. The crescent moon, 43% illuminated, is one other 15° past Mars. |
| 2029, September 8 | Night | At 45 minutes after sundown, Venus is lower than 10° above the west-southwest horizon. The Venus-Jupiter hole is 1.8°. Venus is 2.3° above Spica. Mars is almost 25° to the higher left of the conjunction. |
Summaries of Present Sky Occasions
Abstract for Venus as a Morning Star, 2023-24
Right here is at present’s planet forecast:
Morning Sky
Morning Flower Moon Approaches Antares
One hour earlier than dawn, the morning Flower Moon is low within the southwest and 10.0° to the decrease proper of Antares, foreshadowing tonight’s occultation.
The moon reaches the Full part at 8:53 a.m. Central Time, after it units for a lot of the Americas.
Mars, Saturn, and Fomalhaut
At this hour, Mars and Saturn are seen within the japanese sky. Saturn is less complicated to see over 20° up within the east-southeast. It isn’t shiny like Venus or Jupiter, though it’s brighter than most stars on this morning’s sky. It’s distinctly yellow-orange and with out a background of different shiny stars.
Mars continues to widen a niche to the Ringed Surprise. It’s over 10° above the japanese horizon and practically 30° to Saturn’s decrease left.
The star Fomalhaut is about 5° up within the southeast and practically 25° to Saturn’s decrease proper.
Mercury is retreating again into shiny daylight. At half-hour earlier than dawn, it’s lower than 5° above the japanese horizon, misplaced in shiny twilight.
Venus and Jupiter spherical out the morning planets with their conjunction described earlier.
Night Sky
Night Lunar Occultation
With the 5 shiny planets west of the solar, the night has no shiny planets, though the brilliant moon is right here.
For a lot of sky watchers, the moon occults Antares. Two hours after dusk, the lunar orb is lower than 10° above the east-southeast horizon. Antares is lower than 1° to the moon’s higher proper. A binocular is useful to see the star.
Throughout the night time as Earth rotates and the moon and the celebrities seem to maneuver westward, the lunar disk strikes eastward in comparison with Antares. Discover the bigger hole between the moon and the star tomorrow morning earlier than dawn.
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