September 26, 2023: Discover the Sickle of Leo within the east earlier than dawn. The moon is with Saturn throughout the night hours.
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by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Dawn, 6:42 a.m. CDT; Sundown, 6:41 p.m. CDT. Test native sources for dawn and sundown occasions. Occasions are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA laptop program.
At this time nighttime is longer than daylight. It is just one minute at present, however by mid-march daylight’s size slips to eleven hours, seven minutes.
This yr, there isn’t any single day when daytime and nighttime are exactly equal at Chicago’s latitude. The equinox occurred three days in the past. The solar shines extra instantly towards Earth’s southern hemisphere.
Summaries of Present Sky Occasions
Abstract for Venus as a Morning Star, 2023-24
Right here is at present’s planet forecast:
Morning Sky
Over three hours earlier than dawn, Venus rises within the japanese sky and Saturn shines from the west-southwest. The 2 planets are 167° aside. By October 10th, they’re 180° aside and Saturn units as Venus rises. After this planet-to-planet opposition, Saturn units earlier than Venus rises. Saturn returns to the morning sky throughout April 2024 as Venus slides into morning twilight because it approaches superior conjunction throughout June.
This morning one hour earlier than dawn sensible Venus and Mercury are within the japanese sky with the Sickle of Leo. Venus is “that vivid star” within the east that may be mistaken for lights on an airplane. At this hour it’s over 25° above the horizon and it may be tracked into brighter twilight close to dawn.
The planet is stepping eastward towards Regulus, Leo’s brightest star. Their conjunction happens October 9th. This morning, the hole is 10.6°. As this conjunction approaches, watch the planet method and go the star Omicron Leonis (ο Leo on the chart). Use a binocular to trace Venus because it passes the star October 2nd. This morning the hole is 4.1°.
Omicron is probably going washed out by out of doors lighting in city and suburban settings. Sky Watchers with darker skies can see the star with out the optical help.
Brilliant Mercury is about 5° above the japanese horizon and 16.0° to the decrease left of Regulus. It brightens and retreats into brighter twilight every morning. The planet is placing on its finest morning celestial present of the yr. It’s vivid sufficient to be seen with out a binocular, however the optical increase helps with its preliminary identification. The problem is to discover a clear horizon with out clouds and obstacles. An elevated construction or hilltop helps the view.
Regulus is a part of the constellation that resembles a backwards query mark. It has been historically named the “Sickle of Leo”. The sample resembles a sickle, an agricultural instrument for harvesting grain.
The sickle outlines the top and mane of the westward-facing Lion. The haunches and tail, marked by a triangle, are too low for simple viewing.
Leo is within the sky a while throughout the evening till practically summer time’s mid-point. Throughout autumn it’s barely farther westward every morning. Across the finish of February, it seems low within the japanese sky after sundown after which every evening begins the evening farther westward. By Might evenings, it’s within the south at sunset. Throughout July, the majestic Lion begins the nights low within the west-northwest, sliding into vivid daylight, reappearing within the morning sky subsequent September to repeat the cycle.
This morning vivid Jupiter is within the west-southwest, over midway up within the sky from the horizon to overhead. It continues to retrograde in entrance of Aries, 13.2° to the left of Hamal, the constellation’s brightest star, 11.2° to the higher proper of Menkar, the Sea Monster’s nostril, and 16.4° under the Pleiades star cluster, a part of Taurus.
With this retrograde – the looks {that a} distant planet strikes westward in comparison with the starfield – Jupiter appears to be transferring towards an imaginary line from Hamal to Menkar. Watch the planet inch towards that line throughout the subsequent a number of days.
Night Sky
Mars, significantly dimmer than we’d count on, is sliding into vivid daylight, setting about forty minutes after the solar. It passes behind the central star on November 18th. It then slowly climbs into the morning sky. Mercury passes it on January twenty seventh, adopted by a conjunction with Venus on February 22nd.
An hour after sunset, the gibbous moon (91% illuminated) is about 20° above the southeast horizon and three.6° to the decrease proper of Saturn.
The moon is waxing towards the Full moon or Harvest Moon part, occurring on the morning of the 29th. In addition to the seasonal title, there may be an astronomical impact that happens. See the article in regards to the Harvest Moon impact.
This moonlight washes out the dimmer stars within the area and throughout the sky. It may be essential to protect your eyes from the lunar gentle to see Saturn.
Through the evening, Saturn and the moon appear to maneuver westward in comparison with the horizon. By 4 hours after sunset, they’re within the south and low within the west-southwest about three hours earlier than sunup when Venus rises tomorrow morning.
Jupiter rises 100, 4 minutes after sundown. Because the calendar day ends, it’s practically midway up within the east-southeast, and it’s seen within the west-southwest tomorrow morning.
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