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Don’t miss! Jupiter and Mars conjunction tomorrow

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John Jardine Goss

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Kelly Kizer Whitt

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August 13, 2024

Star chart showing dots for Mars and Jupiter very close together, star Aldebaran, and 2 star clusters nearby. — Jupiter and Mars are found in the east before sunrise throughout August 2024. Jupiter is brighter than Mars. At the beginning of August, Mars layed higher in the sky than Jupiter. By the morning of August 14, they’re in conjunction, shining next to each other as dawn breaks. At this point, Jupiter passes Mars. It continues ascending high in the eastern predawn sky so that, by the end of August, Mars will shine from below Jupiter. Chart via EarthSky.

Jupiter and Mars to pair up August 14

Bright Jupiter and red Mars have been near each other in the east before sunup all month. And – if you watch tomorrow – you’ll get to see Jupiter sideswipe Mars in a conjunction. They’ll be closest on Wednesday, August 14. Afterwards, Mars will be creeping higher in the predawn sky, brightening slowly. Jupiter will ascend faster, pulling rapidly away from Mars, steadily moving toward the evening sky and its early December 2024 opposition.

Jupiter and Mars are in front of the constellation boundary of Taurus the Bull. There are many splendid things to see in Taurus. This conjunction will be fun!

The two are not far from the misty Pleiades star cluster.

And they’re near bright Aldebaran – Eye of the Bull in Taurus – and a rival in brightness and color to Mars.

Read: Why is Mars sometimes bright and sometimes faint?

Here’s a 1-minute video preview of the Jupiter and Mars conjunction around August 14.

The big event: Jupiter and Mars conjunction

The closest pairing of this planetary duo will come on the morning of August 14. That’s when bright gas giant Jupiter will get a visit from rocky red Mars on our sky’s dome. Then, the little planet will appear less than the width of a full moon from Jupiter. They’ll look close on our sky’s dome. In reality, the two will remain more than 300 million miles (500 million km) apart, even though they are next-door neighbors in our solar system.

Using just the unaided eye, the bright white light of Jupiter will contrast nicely with the dimmer and distinctly redder shine of Mars. In binoculars, Jupiter’s moons will enhance your enjoyment of the view. And this conjunction will be a great event for telescope owners and astrophotographers. You’ll be able to capture both planets in one view and thoroughly examine these remarkably different worlds. If you catch a great pic, please submit it to EarthSky’s community page!

Inside a dark circle, 5 positions of Mars shown as red dots moving past Jupiter. — You don’t need binoculars to see red Mars near bright Jupiter, but binoculars will enhance the view. Watch for Jupiter and Mars at their closest in the early morning hours of August 14. Chart by John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.

Chart from UK astronomer Guy Ottewell

The following chart is from beloved U.K. astronomer Guy Ottewell. He’s perhaps the world’s greatest living night sky illustrator! You’ll find more charts like this for 2024 in his Astronomical Calendar.

Chart showing the sky with Mars and Jupiter right next to each other in the constellation Taurus. — Look for the Jupiter and Mars conjunction in the morning sky. The planets will be in the constellation Taurus. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.

Heliocentric solar system view of the planets in August 2024

Here’s more from Guy Ottewell … a heliocentric view of the solar system from above for August when Jupiter and Mars will appear close together in the morning sky. Guy Ottewell explains his heliocentric charts here.

Circle with sun at center, planet orbits around, and zodiac names on outer edge. — Heliocentric view of solar system, August 2024. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.

Bottom line: The Jupiter and Mars conjunction in the morning sky is tomorrow, August 14! They’ll be closest in the east on the sky’s dome early in the morning.

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August 13, 2024

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John Jardine Goss

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About the Author:

“I can sometimes see the moon in the daytime” was a cosmic revelation that John Jardine Goss first discovered through personal observations at age 6. It shook his young concept of the universe and launched his interest in astronomy and stargazing, a fascination he still holds today. John is past president of the Astronomical League, the largest U.S. federation of astronomical societies, with over 20,000 members. He's earned the title of Master Observer and has authored the celestial observing guides Exploring the Starry Realm and Carpe Lunam. John also writes a monthly stargazing column, Roanoke Skies, for the Roanoke Times, and a bimonthly column, Skywatch, for Blue Ridge Country magazine. He has contributed to Sky and Telescope magazine, the IDA Nightscape, the Astronomical League’s Reflector magazine, and the RASC Observer’s Handbook.

Kelly Kizer Whitt

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About the Author:

Kelly Kizer Whitt has been a science writer specializing in astronomy for more than two decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine, and she has made regular contributions to AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club, among other outlets. Her children’s picture book, Solar System Forecast, was published in 2012. She has also written a young adult dystopian novel titled A Different Sky. When she is not reading or writing about astronomy and staring up at the stars, she enjoys traveling to the national parks, creating crossword puzzles, running, tennis, and paddleboarding. Kelly lives in Wisconsin.