Wednesday, April 15, 2026
A morning planet dance 16-23 April, 2026
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| Eastern horizon on the morning of Thursday, April 16 as seen from Adelaide at 5:44 ACST (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen). The Crescent Moon, Mercury, Mars and Saturn for a triangle approximately one hand-span across low to the horizon. | Eastern horizon on the morning of Sunday, April 19 as seen from Adelaide at 5:48 ACST (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen). Mercury, Mars and Saturn for a triangle low to the horizon. |
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| Eastern horizon on the morning of Monday, April 20 as seen from Adelaide at 5:48 ACST (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen). Mercury, Mars and Saturn for a close triangle low to the horizon. Mars is closest to Saturn on the 20th (1.1°). The inset is the binocular view at the time. | Eastern horizon on the morning of Tuesday, April 21 as seen from Adelaide at 5:48 ACST (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen). Mercury, Mars and Saturn for a close triangle low to the horizon. Mercury is 0.6° from Saturn and 1.6° from Mars. The inset is the binocular view at the time. |
Over the past fews days in the morning twilight three bright planets, Mercury, Mars and Saturn, have been drawing closer.
On the 16th there is an attractive massing with three unaided eye planets just above the eastern horizon, all within a 6° circle.
Mercury at the top is 4° from Mars and 6° from Saturn, as a bonus, the slender crescent of the waning 28-day-old Moon is nearby. The planets then come closer and form a close triable between the 19th to 21st.
Mars is closest to Saturn on the 20th (1.1°).
On the 21st another nice close conjunction occurs with Mercury 0.6° from Saturn and 1.6° from Mars. Mars has close approaches with the Moon on the 16th (3°), Saturn on the 20th (1.1°) and Mercury on the 21st (1.7°).
After the close massing from the 23rd the planets stretch out into a line with Mercury heading towards the horizon and fading.
Labels: Mars, massing, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, unaided eye
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