Venus chasing Mars

Recently we had the pleasure of watching Venus chasing Mars across the night sky last fall. It never caught up, until the early morning hours of this past February. I took this window snip to show what I was seeing in the NW sky. I was puzzled at first at how Gemini had suddenly ‘grown’ a 3rd first magnitude star.

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So I pulled out my Stellarium app on my phone, and what do you know the interloper was Mars. What is also interesting is that for the next two months, we will be seeing an interesting chase. The planet Venus will be chasing Mars across Gemini, Cancer and into Leo. Until early in July when Mars passes Regulus (Leo) in the sky, when Venus gives up the chase and moves to Inferior Conjunction with the Sun. (Passes between Earth and Sun.) Mars will pass behind the sun later in July, so we will see the two Mercury of them in the morning sky in August.

It’s an interesting dance of the planets in the evening sky that is well worth taking in and enjoying over the next few months.

Other Stories about the Planets on this site https://rogernelson.ca/portfolio-item-category/planets/