Morning Sky Viewing

During the next two weeks, look in the east about 6 - 6:30 a.m. Brilliant Venus and bright Saturn slowly change positions with one another. The pair appear closest on October 14.

In the reality of our solar system, Venus is swinging away from the sun before it begins to move behind it. It, therefore, slowly increases its distance from the sun, moving slight higher in the morning sky before dawn. Saturn rises earlier each night as the Earth catches up to it in our respective planetary orbits. By the time January arrives, Saturn rises in the early evening for our closest approach in February.

Such is our view from Earth...