Venus, Jupiter, and Mars Conjunction + Elusive Mercury

There's a show going on in the east before sunrise. Venus, Jupiter and Mars have been creeping closer and closer in our sky, and this week will appear as a trio, only 5 degrees apart! The faint Mercury is even making an appearance. You just have to wake up around 6 AM to catch the performance.

Click on image to enlarge. Four planets visible before dawn this week. Image credit: Stellarium and me.

Mercury is always a challenge to see, because it is closest to the Sun and usually swallowed in its glare. It is possible to see this week in the early morning, just before dawn, around 6:15 or so. Make sure you know where east is, and maybe you will spot it just above the horizon this week. 

Venus, Jupiter, and Mars will not be a challenge however. Venus is incredibly bright, so bright you can see it even after the Sun has lightened the sky. Find Venus first, then look for the slightly fainter Jupiter, and the red Mars. They are very close together, and visible starting at about 4 AM until sunrise in the east. 

Click on image to enlarge. Venus, Jupiter and Mars form a trio this week. Image Credit: Stellarium and me.

If you have a pair of binoculars, pull them out! Because all three planets appear only 5 degrees apart, they will be visible in one binocular field of view. Leaning against something to steady yourself will help you focus on the planets. The three planets will form the trio for eight days, from October 22-29. 

Venus and Jupiter will be only 1.1 degrees apart on Sunday, Oct. 25, one hour before sunrise. Image Credit: Stellarium and me.

If you are up early to see the planets, you will get a preview of winter and spring constellations. It will be easy to spot Orion and his dogs in the South. Venus, Jupiter and Mars are in Leo the Lion right now - just look for his backwards question mark. 

The morning sky is a preview of constellations to come. Image Credit: Stellarium and me.

So what is actually going on here? Are the planets really close together?
When you see Venus and Jupiter close together in the sky, it can be confusing. Venus is the second planet from the Sun, and Jupiter is the 5th, and much farther away. They are not close together at all in reality. 

The current positions of the planets, not to scale. Image Credit: SolarSystemScope.com

What is really happening is that Venus is lapping Mars and Jupiter as all the planets orbit the Sun. Jupiter takes about 12 years to orbit the Sun, so has been hanging out in Leo the Lion for over a year. Mars is on the same side of the Sun as Jupiter right now, and is lapping the gas giant. Venus is actually on our side of the Sun, opposite of Jupiter and Mars, but from our Earthly perspective, they all look close together. 

This conjunction is happening around Halloween, so I imagine I might get a few calls with people concerned about what the planetarium alignment might mean. Don't worry - the planet position will not effect your life in the slightest, except perhaps by enhancing your morning view. 

Good luck spotting the morning planets! Read this post to learn about missions soon to explore these planets. And remember, you can always learn about what's up in the night sky or current space news at the Dome Planetarium at the Peoria Riverfront Museum.