The Moon getting close to a planet is one of the easiest astronomical events to observe: the lunar disc and most of the Solar System planets (e.g. Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn) are visible to the naked eye, so you don’t need any special skills or complex equipment. The only thing you need to know is the date and time of the Moon's approach to a planet. Check the Calendar in the Sky Tonight app or read this article to learn when to see a planet near the Moon.
Contents
- What is the dot next to the Moon tonight?
- What do astronomers call the approach of the Moon to the planet?
- Closest approach (appulse)
- Conjunction
- Occultation
- Observations
- How to spot planets next to the Moon?
- Sky Tonight app
- Star Walk 2 app
- How to photograph the Moon with planets?
- Planets next to the Moon in September 2024
- September 23: Jupiter near the Moon
- September 25: Mars near the Moon
- Planets next to the Moon in October 2024
- October 2: Mercury near the Moon
- October 5: Venus near the Moon
- October 14: Saturn near the Moon; lunar occultation of Saturn
- October 15: Neptune near the Moon; lunar occultation of Neptune
- October 19: Uranus near the Moon
- October 21: Jupiter near the Moon
- October 23: Mars near the Moon
- Planets next to the Moon in November 2024
- November 3: Mercury near the Moon
- November 4: Venus near the Moon
- November 11: Saturn near the Moon; lunar occultation of Saturn
- November 12: Neptune near the Moon; lunar occultation of Neptune
- November 15: Uranus near the Moon
- November 17: Jupiter near the Moon
- November 20: Mars near the Moon
- Bottom line
What is the dot next to the Moon tonight?
From September 23 to 29, the Moon will visit the constellations Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, and Leo. This week, Mars (mag 0.6) and Jupiter (mag -2.4) will be the brightest dots near the Moon. The most prominent star near our natural satellite will be Pollux (mag 1.2) from Gemini. Our natural satellite will meet the Beehive star cluster as well. As the New Moon occurs next week (on October 2), the Moon will be waning each day. To make sure what celestial object you’re looking at, use the Sky Tonight app. Now let's take a closer look at the planets near the Moon this month.
What do astronomers call the approach of the Moon to the planet?
In this article, you'll come across several types of celestial events. They all involve the relative positions of the Moon and celestial objects and occur close together in time. However, they differ in detail. Here is what each one means.
Closest approach (appulse)
Closest approach or appulse happens when two celestial objects have the smallest apparent distance as seen from the Earth. For the Moon and planets, appulse often takes place close to conjunction.
Conjunction
Conjunction occurs when two celestial objects have the same apparent right ascension or ecliptic longitude in the sky. In everyday language, the terms “conjunction” and “closest approach” are often used interchangeably. However, conjunction has a more technical meaning and does not necessarily occur with every appulse.
Moon-planet conjunctions occur frequently. Once every 27.3 days, our natural satellite passes through a narrow part of the sky centered on the ecliptic and encounters planets. Planetary conjunctions are less frequent; you can learn more about them in our separate article.
Occultation
Occultation takes place when a celestial body with a greater apparent diameter passes in front of a body with a smaller apparent diameter; for example, when the Moon passes in front of a star or planet. The occultation of the Sun by the Moon is called a solar eclipse. Each lunar occultation is only visible from some parts of the Earth. That's because the exact position of the Moon in the sky varies by up to 2° at different locations.
Observations
How to spot planets next to the Moon?
Here are some things to keep in mind for successful observations.
You may miss the exact time of conjunction or closest approach, but don't worry! Even before or after the exact moment of the event, the objects will stay relatively close together, and that's just as worth observing.
Depending on the angular distance between the objects, some events should be seen with a telescope and some with binoculars. In general, a good 10×50 binocular will give you a 6-7° field of view; for telescopes, this figure varies — it could be less than 1°. You can calculate the field of view of your optics yourself. And, of course, you can also observe an event with the naked eye.
When the Moon is close to its full phase, it outshines fainter objects. For example, you won't be able to see Mercury near a Full Moon because the planet isn't prominent enough. Only the brightest objects, such as Venus or Jupiter, can be seen.
A bright object near the Moon can be a star or a planet. You can tell the difference by checking if the object twinkles. If it does, then it’s a star; if not, it’s a planet. Also, Jupiter and Venus (sometimes Mars and Saturn, too) are way brighter than most stars. You can tell the planets apart by their colors:
- Mercury is gray or brownish;
- Venus is pale yellow;
- Mars is pale pink or bright red;
- Jupiter is orange;
- Saturn is gold.
- To identify an object or find out when objects are closest together for your exact location, use the free stargazing tools — Sky Tonight or Star Walk 2.
Sky Tonight app
To identify an object in the sky with the help of Sky Tonight, follow these steps:
Step 1. Open Sky Tonight and point your device at the sky or tap the big blue button. A live representation of what you see in the sky will appear on the screen, and the app will start to follow your movements.
Step 2. Point your device at the part of the sky where the object is located. For convenience, you can limit the visual magnitude so that only those objects that can be seen with the naked eye appear on the screen. To do this, tap the panel at the bottom of the screen and drag the top slider to the left, closer to the eye icon. From this panel, you can also turn on the night mode, change the constellation appearance, and more.
Step 3. Now you can identify the bright object and get information about it by tapping on its name.
You can also watch our detailed video tutorial.
Star Walk 2 app
To identify an object in the sky with the help of Star Walk 2, follow these steps:
Step 1. Open Star Walk 2 and point your device at the sky or tap the compass icon in the top left corner of the screen. A live representation of what you see in the sky will appear on the screen, and the app will start to follow your movements.
Step 2. Point your device at the part of the sky where the object is located. For convenience, drag the slider on the left down until only the objects you can see in the sky remain on the screen.
Step 3. Now you can identify the bright object and get information about it by tapping on its name at the bottom of the screen.
You can also watch our detailed video tutorial. Find more videos in the Tutorials section.
How to photograph the Moon with planets?
You can take a picture of a planet near the Moon with a professional camera or even a smartphone. Here are some tips to help you:
Check the weather forecast. Open the Sky Tonight app and tap the telescope icon at the bottom. You'll see two tabs — Stargazing Index and Weather. Select the latter and find the date with cloudless weather, so clouds don't interfere with your night of astrophotography.
Find out when objects are well-placed for your location. In Sky Tonight, tap the magnifier icon at the bottom. Enter the name of the object you're interested in and tap the target icon next to the corresponding search result. When the app shows you the object's location, use the panel at the top to scroll through time and determine the best time to take the picture.
Set up a frame. Determine the apparent distance between the Moon and the planet and find their altitude using Sky Tonight. Next, define a rectangle large enough to fit everything you want in the frame, but leave yourself some room. Then use a field of view calculator to find the right lens size for the coverage.
Bring something else into the shot. It could be a tree or a small house, depending on your surroundings. Here is an example of how a target in the foreground improves a shot. Use the AR mode in Sky Tonight to superimpose the image of the night sky on your background. Tap the big blue button on the main screen for this.
Use a tripod. It will help your camera to stay still and take several pictures from the same angle.
Planets next to the Moon in September 2024
*The percentage of Moon illumination is for London. To find out the Moon illumination percentage for your location, check the lunar calendar.
September 23: Jupiter near the Moon
- Close approach time: 22:39 GMT (6:39 p.m. EDT)
- Close approach distance: 5°49'
- Conjunction time: 23:22 GMT (7:22 p.m. EDT)
- Conjunction distance: 5°50'
On September 23, the 67%-illuminated Moon and Jupiter (mag -2.4) will meet in the constellation Taurus. The planet will rise not long before midnight and will be visible to the naked eye.
September 25: Mars near the Moon
- Conjunction time: 11:50 GMT (7:50 a.m. EDT)
- Conjunction distance: 4°53'
- Close approach time: 12:40 GMT (8:40 a.m. EDT)
- Close approach distance: 4°52'
On September 25, the 45%-illuminated Moon and Mars (mag 0.5) will meet in the constellation Gemini. The planet will rise at around midnight and will be visible to the naked eye.
Planets next to the Moon in October 2024
*The percentage of Moon illumination is for London. To find out the Moon illumination percentage for your location, check the lunar calendar.
October 2: Mercury near the Moon
- Close approach time: 22:22 GMT (6:22 p.m. EDT)
- Close approach distance: 1°35'
On October 2, the New Moon and Mercury (mag -1.6) will meet in the constellation Virgo. Both objects will appear in the sky almost simultaneously with the Sun and, therefore, will be unobservable.
October 5: Venus near the Moon
- Close approach time: 18:28 GMT (2:28 p.m. EDT)
- Close approach distance: 2°49'
- Conjunction time: 20:26 GMT (4:26 p.m. EDT)
- Conjunction distance: 3°18'
On October 5, the 7%-illuminated Moon and Venus (mag -4.4) will meet in the constellation Libra. The planet will be visible after sunset without any optical aid. As the event will occur two days after the New Moon, the lunar disc will be barely visible.
October 14: Saturn near the Moon; lunar occultation of Saturn
- Occultation start: 16:03 GMT (12:03 p.m. EDT)
- Occultation end: 20:12 GMT (4:12 p.m. EDT)
- Conjunction time: 18:05 GMT (2:05 p.m. EDT)
- Conjunction distance: 0°06'
- Close approach time: 18:09 GMT (2:09 p.m. EDT)
- Close approach distance: 0°06'
On October 14, the 90%-illuminated Moon and Saturn (mag 0.7) will meet in the constellation Aquarius. The planet will rise in the evening and will be visible to the naked eye. Also, a lunar occultation of Saturn will be visible from Asia and Africa.
October 15: Neptune near the Moon; lunar occultation of Neptune
- Occultation start: 15:11 GMT (11:11 a.m. EDT)
- Occultation end: 18:57 GMT (2:57 p.m. EDT)
- Close approach time: 17:09 GMT (1:09 p.m. EDT)
- Close approach distance: 0°31'
On October 15, the 96%-illuminated Moon and Neptune (mag 7.8) will meet in the constellation Pisces. The planet will rise in the evening and will be visible in binoculars. Also, a lunar occultation of Neptune will be observable from Asia, Russia, and Africa.
October 19: Uranus near the Moon
- Close approach time: 14:11 GMT (10:11 a.m. EDT)
- Close approach distance: 4°17'
On October 19, the 96%-illuminated Moon and Uranus (mag 5.7) will meet in the constellation Taurus. The bright Pleiades star cluster will also shine nearby. The planet will appear in the sky in the evening. Note that Uranus is rather faint to be observed without any optical aid, so it’s best to bring a pair of binoculars.
October 21: Jupiter near the Moon
- Close approach time: 07:25 GMT (3:25 a.m. EDT)
- Close approach distance: 5°47'
- Conjunction time: 08:05 GMT (4:05 a.m. EDT)
- Conjunction distance: 5°48'
On October 21, the 81%-illuminated Moon and Jupiter (mag -2.6) will meet in the constellation Taurus. The planet will rise in the evening and will be visible to the naked eye.
October 23: Mars near the Moon
- Conjunction time: 19:55 GMT (3:55 p.m. EDT)
- Conjunction distance: 4°12'
- Close approach time: 21:20 GMT (5:20 p.m. EDT)
- Close approach distance: 3°49'
On October 23, the 61%-illuminated Moon and Mars (mag 0.2) will meet in the constellation Gemini. The planet will rise at around midnight and will be visible to the naked eye.
Planets next to the Moon in November 2024
*The percentage of Moon illumination is for London. To find out the Moon illumination percentage for your location, check the lunar calendar.
November 3: Mercury near the Moon
- Close approach time: 06:37 GMT (1:37 a.m. EST)
- Close approach distance: 2°02'
- Conjunction time: 07:37 GMT (2:37 a.m. EST)
- Conjunction distance: 2°06'
On November 3, the 4%-illuminated Moon and Mercury (mag -0.6) will meet in the constellation Scorpio. The planet will be visible after sunset without any optical aid. As the event will occur two days after the New Moon, the lunar disc will be barely visible.
November 4: Venus near the Moon
- Close approach time: 23:51 GMT (6:51 p.m. EST)
- Close approach distance: 3°05'
- Conjunction time: November 5, 00:16 GMT (November 4, 7:16 p.m. EST)
- Conjunction distance: 3°24'
On November 4, the 9%-illuminated Moon and Venus (mag -4.0) will meet in the constellation Ophiuchus. The planet will be visible after sunset without any optical aid. As the event will occur three days after the New Moon, the lunar disc will be barely visible.
November 11: Saturn near the Moon; lunar occultation of Saturn
- Occultation start: November 10, 23:31 GMT (6:31 p.m. EST)
- Occultation end: 03:46 GMT (November 10, 10:46 p.m. EST)
- Conjunction time: 01:36 GMT (November 10, 8:36 p.m. EST)
- Conjunction distance: 0°06'
- Close approach time: 01:40 GMT (November 10, 8:40 p.m. EST)
- Close approach distance: 0°05'
On November 11, the 77%-illuminated Moon and Saturn (mag 0.9) will meet in the constellation Aquarius. The planet will rise during the daytime and climb high by the sunset. Also, a lunar occultation of Saturn will be visible over North and South America.
November 12: Neptune near the Moon; lunar occultation of Neptune
- Occultation start: 0:02 GMT (November 11, 7:02 p.m. EST)
- Occultation end: 03:49 GMT (November 11, 10:49 p.m. EST
- Close approach time: 02:01 GMT (November 11, 9:01 p.m. EST)
- Close approach distance: 0°33'
On November 12, the 87%-illuminated Moon and Neptune (mag 7.8) will meet in the constellation Pisces. The planet will rise in the evening and will be visible in binoculars. Also, a lunar occultation of Neptune will be observable over eastern Canada, the Contiguous United States, Greenland, and Mexico.
November 15: Uranus near the Moon
- Close approach time: 23:32 GMT (6:32 p.m. EST)
- Close approach distance: 4°11'
On November 15, the Full Moon and Uranus (mag 5.7) will meet in the constellation Taurus. The bright Pleiades star cluster will also shine nearby. The planet will appear in the sky in the evening. Note that Uranus is rather faint to be observed without any optical aid, so it’s best to bring a pair of binoculars.
November 17: Jupiter near the Moon
- Close approach time: 14:07 GMT (9:07 a.m. EST)
- Close approach distance: 5°37'
- Conjunction time: 14:54 GMT (9:54 a.m. EST)
- Conjunction distance: 5°38'
On November 17, the 98%-illuminated Moon and Jupiter (mag -2.8) will meet in the constellation Taurus. The planet will rise in the evening and will be visible to the naked eye.
November 20: Mars near the Moon
- Conjunction time: 21:07 GMT (4:07 p.m. EST)
- Conjunction distance: 2°36'
- Close approach time: 22:15 GMT (5:15 p.m. EST)
- Close approach distance: 2°20'
On November 20, the 77%-illuminated Moon and Mars (mag 0.2) will meet in the constellation Cancer. The planet will rise in the evening and will be visible to the naked eye.
Bottom line
Now you know what those bright dots near the Moon are. To view the planets and stars near our natural satellite, choose a cloudless night and use Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight to learn when the celestial objects are best placed for your location. For a visual explanation, watch our recently released video on how to identify bright objects near the Moon using the Sky Tonight app, step by step.
Learn about past conjunctions with the Moon and planets that took place in 2022 in our separate article. Also, see our dedicated article to learn when the Moon passed near the planets in 2023.
Wishing you clear skies and happy observations!