Here are Venus and Mars photographed by EarthSky’s own Raúl Cortés on February 22 from Monterrey in México. Thank you, Raúl!
The brightest planet Venus and dim, red Mars have been getting closer in the east before sunrise. Mars is just now returning to our early morning sky, after being behind the sun from Earth. It’s been rising higher each morning. Meanwhile, Venus has been descending into the sunrise glare. Did you miss bright Venus and reddish Mars closest together on Wednesday and Thursday? Don’t worry. They’re still up there … although you might need binoculars to spy faint Mars. Enjoy this beautiful gallery of images from photographers at EarthSky’s Community Photos. You can also share your own photos with us.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Eliot Herman from Tucson, Arizona, shared this composite image with us and wrote: “The day after closest conjunction, when weather was better. Note red Mars. The moon was not in frame, its image was captured 2 hours prior to the breaking-dawn capture of Venus and Mars, and inserted for scale to show the separation is greater than the moon’s diameter.” Thank you, Eliot!
Venus and Mars on February 21
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | EarthSky’s own Raúl Cortés shared this lovely image of our favorite cosmic duo, Venus and Mars, on February 21. Thank you, Raúl!Check this wonderful view! Don’t Venus and Mars look amazing? Thank you, Raúl.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Stephen Bloodsworth from Silver Spring, Maryland, took this photo on February 21 and wrote: “Venus and Mars rising. It was very difficult to see Mars unaided. In fact, I didn’t see it until processing the image. Luckily, it was unobstructed by trees and in a good location.” Thank you, Stephen!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Roberto Burkle at Playa del Carmen, México, took this photo of bright Venus and reddish Mars on February 21. ¡Gracias, Roberto!
Getting ready
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Peter Kisselburgh from Thomaston, Connecticut, shared this image of Venus at the top and Mars on the bottom on February 19. Peter wrote: “I came out this morning to practice my night work, starting to get prepared for the eclipse. I was taking different exposures of Venus and Mars. One frame caught these wild clouds that must have formed and disappeared very fast.” Thank you!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Eliot Herman from Tucson, Arizona, took this photo of Venus on February 20. Eliot wrote: “Venus-Mars conjunction planning shot session. I set up my telescope, and the morning before the conjunction, I assessed the altitude of Venus above the horizon and the growing glow of breaking dawn to plan the shot. While outside checking the set up, the local owl decided to land on a nearby mesquite and watch my activities. This is not unusual, my astronomy attracts the local wildlife audience, with the javelina checking out the night activities, the hummingbirds watching my solar observations, and often the night hawks buzz me and my telescope at dusk and dawn, and I have had my altercations with large spiders over who has rights to use the telescope space …” Hahaha! Thank you, Eliot.
Bottom line: Did you miss bright Venus and reddish Mars closest together? Don’t worry, we compiled a gallery of wonderful EarthSky community photos, showing this cosmic duo.
Cristina Ortiz - based in Granada, Spain - is EarthSky's defender of animals with her "lifeform" videos at EarthSky YouTube. Discover the most fascinating facts about all the beings with whom we share Earth. Are you ready for the adventure? Cristina has been an EarthSky.org editor since 2021. She has a master’s degree in translation and interpreting, specializing in science and technology. "Since I was a kid," she says, "I could feel that passion for science and communication."
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