The moon is not quite yet at its last quarter phase as it rises over the eastern horizon at or around midnight, in between the blazing planet Jupiter and the Pleiades star cluster. All three luminaries – the Pleiades cluster, the waning gibbous moon and Jupiter – will swing upward during the morning hours after midnight on Sunday. They will shine high in the south as morning dawn starts to color the sky.
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Our chart is for North American mid-northern latitudes. The sky scene looks similar at mid-northern latitudes in Europe, Africa and Asia, except that the moon resides closer to Jupiter on the sky’s dome. However, the moon is still found in between the Pleiades cluster and Jupiter. If the lunar glare interferes with your view of the Pleiades, scan this glorious cluster with binoculars.
As for the southern hemisphere, the celestial threesome rises totally above the east-northeast horizon a few hours after midnight, but the line-up appears more straight up-and-down. Jupiter rises first, followed by the moon and then the Pleiades cluster. From mid-southern latitudes – like in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand – the trio swings highest up shortly before dawn yet they’re found rather low in the northern sky.
The Pleiades cluster is often called the Seven Sisters, though most people can only see six Pleiades stars with the unaided eye. These six little starlets create the tiny dipper-shaped formation that is well known the world over.
The Pleiades cluster consists of several hundred suns that were born from the same cloud of gas and dust over 100 million years ago. At more than 400 light-years distant, these Pleiades stars have to be quite luminous to be visible to the unaided eye. The brightest Pleiades star, Alcyone, shines some 700 to 800 times more brightly than our sun. If we include this star’s ultraviolet radiation (which the human eye can’t see), that makes Alcyone a couple thousand times brighter.
The German astronomer Johann Madler (1794-1874) popularized the idea that Alcyone is the galaxy’s central sun, until a better understanding of galactic structure rendered this notion obsolete.
In the wee hours on Sunday, August 21, look for the moon to shine between Jupiter and the Pleiades star cluster.
When I looked up to the east after midnight (prairies), there was a big star/planet below the moon, not to the side. I guess that was Jupiter?
08/19/2011, I have noticed a really bright star by the moon lately, is that Jupiter?, Also, they talk about the star Sirius in Islam disapperring and reappearing 70 days later, where is it? when willl it appear or disappear? thanks Mark Vinson
Thats Nibiru. Not Jupiter, Something that you and society will say its mythology and not real. Its absolutely real and will be seen by everyone real soon. This is not in fear but bringing awareness to the subject and not bring a quantum physical negative event. Love & Light~!
Bob, I’ve been looking at Jupiter – following Jupiter in the sky – for nearly 40 years.
It’s Jupiter.
Thanks for visiting!
Deborah
I read your website yesterday, and I woke up at 4 am and went outside. Jupiter was shining like a diamond next to the Moon and it was impressive and so beautiful.It seemed to be directly above me. I live in an area of lots of light, streetlights, city aura, but it was fabulous. I checked again at 5 am and later at 6:29 am central daylight time, and it was still shining brightly, and had moved to the west. Thank you so much.
thank you i was wondering what this was tonight
in Kent -UK its more at 3 o’clock and its been fabulous to watch
Around 10 pm this evening, in Whitecourt, Alberta, We saw a fiery ball burning across the sky, below the clouds. It was quite large; definitely not an airplane. We watched it as it grew less fiery and pretty much disappeared. It was traveling from south to north. Very beautiful. Can anyone confirm if this was a meteor?