More Moon and Planets
Three planets that are headed in different directions congregate low in the east as twilight paints the dawn sky the next few days. And tomorrow, a thin crescent Moon joins them. The Moon will help you pick them out, but you'll probably want binoculars to see two of the planets.
The brightest of the three planets -- the only one that's easily visible to the unaided eye -- is Venus, the "morning star." It's just below the Moon at first light.
Venus has reined in the early morning sky almost all year, but it won't be there much longer. It's on the far side of the Sun from Earth, and will cross behind the Sun in a couple of months. Over the coming weeks, Venus will move closer and closer to the Sun, and will disappear in the Sun's glare within just a couple of weeks. It'll REappear in December -- in the evening sky.
The other planets are to the lower left of Venus -- so low in the sky that you'll want binoculars to pick them out.
The one that's highest in the sky is Saturn, while the other is Mercury. Mercury's a little brighter.
Like Venus, Mercury is dropping toward the Sun, and will soon completely disappear from view.
Saturn, on the other hand, is climbing away from the Sun. Within a couple of weeks, it'll be clearly visible in the east at first light. You won't need binoculars to find it. It'll climb higher across the sky later in the year, providing a bright highlight for the long, cold nights of winter.
