Venus, Mars, and Regulus will form a stunning trio in the night sky in early July. Venus, the brightest point of light in the night sky, will be setting in the west less than two hours after sunset. As you look towards the fading colors of sunset, Venus will be the first light you see. It shines at magnitude -4.7 in the first half of the month, making it the closest planet to Earth.
On July 9, 2023, if you wait for the sky to darken further, you’ll be able to spot two points of light quite close together and above Venus. The slightly brighter and whiter light is Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion, and next to it is reddish Mars. These two worlds will appear a bit more than a moon-width apart on both July 9 and 10.
On the evening of July 9, bright Venus will lie below the much fainter Mars and Regulus. The trio will fit within a 5-degree field, and Mars and Regulus will get as close as 0.7 degrees apart, a little more than the width of a full moon. They will still be very close on July 10 as well.
To get a better look at this trio, try focusing on them with a pair of binoculars. Through binoculars, you may be able to see the crescent phase of Venus. Look for the white and red points of light close together in the same field of view, which are Regulus and Mars, respectively.
Mars should appear as a steady light, while Regulus might twinkle. This is because Mars is closer to Earth, while Regulus is quite far away, appearing as nothing more than a pinprick of light in our sky. The undulating atmosphere of Earth can make the point of Regulus jump around, while Mars stays steady.
On July 9, Mars will pass 0.7 degrees, a little more than a moon-width, from Regulus during the night. They will still be close on July 10 as well. Start looking about 30-45 minutes after sunset.
If you manage to capture a great photo of this event, you can submit it to EarthSky Community Photos.
In conclusion, don’t miss the opportunity to see Venus, Mars, and Regulus close together on July 9 and 10. Use binoculars to get a better view of the dimmer objects, which will be a little more than a moon-width apart.
How long after sunset can stargazers expect to see Venus before it descends towards the western horizon
On early July nights, stargazers will be treated to a captivating celestial spectacle as Venus, Mars, and Regulus converge in the night sky. Venus, renowned as the most luminous celestial body after the Sun and Moon, will gracefully descend towards the western horizon, bidding adieu to the stage less than two hours after sunset. As the vibrant hues of twilight slowly fade away, fix your gaze towards the west to witness Venus illustriously fading into the night.
“Absolutely mesmerizing! The alignment of Venus, Mars, and Regulus in the night sky is a celestial spectacle worth marveling at. Nature always finds a way to dazzle us with its wonders.”