August 26, 2022: A planetary parade can be seen stretching across the sky overnight. The slender crescent moon provides a stimulating sight before sunrise.
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by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, IL: Sunrise, 6:10 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 7:34 p.m. CDT. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times for your location.
Here is the planet forecast for today:
morning sky
SUMMARY OF PLANETS IN THE MORNING SKY 2022
Three bright morning planets, Venus, Mars and Jupiter, cross the sky before sunrise. At one hour before sunrise, the easiest to locate is Jupiter. It is the bright star that is less than halfway up in the southwest.
The Jovian giant retrogrades in Cetus. The apparent westward motion is an illusion of our faster moving planet overtaking and passing more distant worlds. Earth is between Jupiter and the sun on September 26. As Jupiter retrogrades, it enters Pisces early next month.
Saturn is low in the west-southwest at this time, but the atmosphere near the horizon darkens the planet in much the same way that it makes the sun darker and orange at sunrise or sunset. As long as it is still in the sky with the other bright planets, it is not easily observable. In two mornings, it officially leaves the parade of the four planets, setting as Venus rises. Then, Saturn sets before Venus crosses the horizon. Find the Wonder at the Rings tonight in the southeast after sunset.
MARCH OPPOSITION CONTENTS 2022
Mars, high in the southeastern sky, marches east through the bright star fields of Taurus. This morning it is 6.3° below left of Alcyone, the brightest star in the Pleiades star cluster, and 7.8° above right of Aldebaran, the brightest star. star of the constellation. The red planet passes between these stars in four mornings.
In binoculars this morning, Mars is 2.7° lower right of 37 Tauri (37 Tau on the map). Tomorrow, Mars passes 2.6° lower right of the star.
The Taurus stars form a bright background for observing the eastward march of Mars. Here is a Taurus star chart to make a low-tech record of the planet’s progress. Chart its place with Taurus every clear night.
At this time, bright Venus is low in the east-northeast. It is visible if the horizon is clear of clouds and no earth obstructions. Look 15 minutes later when it’s higher.
When Venus is slightly higher, look for Sirius above the east-southeast horizon and Procyon to the east. Procyon is superior to Sirius.
For skywatchers who want a challenge, look for the moon barely there 30 minutes before daybreak. Use Venus as a guide. Place the morning star on the upper right edge of the binoculars field of view, the crescent moon is on the lower right side of the field, a perfect fit.
evening sky
Jupiter and Saturn are in the eastern sky at the end of evening twilight. Saturn has moved past its opposition to the sun, appearing low in the east-southeast as darkness falls.
Two hours after sunset, Jupiter is low in the east while Saturn, retrograding in Capricorn, is less than a third of its height in the southeast.
Saturn’s retrograde is easily observed with binoculars. Tonight, the Ringed Wonder is 1.6° upper right of Nashira and 2.9° lower left of Iota Capricorni (ι Heading on the map). The westward movement is slow, but noticeable. It retrogrades for about two more months, reversing its course by 0.5° from Iota.
Mars rises more than two hours after Jupiter appears in the eastern sky. At this time, Saturn is in the southern sky, while Jupiter is in the southeast. These three planets span 103°. By tomorrow morning, Saturn is again lurking in the thicker atmosphere near the horizon as Venus, Mars and Jupiter hang in the morning sky.
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Categories: Astronomy, Sky observation
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