This morning, sky watchers were treated to a dazzling spectacle as Venus, the crescent moon, and the star Regulus gathered in the eastern sky before dawn. Venus and Saturn are also in opposition, meaning they are separated by 180° in the sky. However, while Venus is bright enough to shine through the fog near the horizon, Saturn’s visibility is significantly affected.

Venus, the queen of the morning sky, shines brightly about 30° above the horizon, outshining all other celestial bodies in the sky. It can easily be mistaken for the lights of an airplane due to its brightness. Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, is located 2.4° to the upper left of Venus. This morning, the moon was illuminated at 16% and appeared 5.9° to the upper left of Venus. The Earth’s glow, sunlight reflected on the oceans, clouds, and land, gently illuminated the dark side of the moon.

These gatherings of Venus, the moon, and Regulus are quite frequent in the coming years. In 2024, in the evening sky, they will fit into a circle with a diameter of 2.6°. On August 5th of that year, Venus will be less than 5° above the horizon thirty minutes after sunset.

In 2025, on September 19th, the three celestial bodies will fit into a circle with only a 1.3° diameter, creating a stunning sight. The following year, on July 16th, they will fit into a circle of 7.8°, extending beyond the field of view of binoculars.

In the nighttime sky, Mars is not visible, while Saturn appears in the southeast approximately an hour after sunset. Jupiter rises about 68 minutes after dusk and can be seen in the east-northeast about an hour later.

It is always a delight to witness these celestial gatherings and to remember the beauty and vastness of our universe.

Source: Original article.