Moon to align with Jupiter, Mars on Monday night
One of November's top astronomy events will be easy to see in the night sky to start the new week—as long as cloudy weather doesn't spoil the show.
A planetary alignment of the moon, Mars and Jupiter will form a straight line near the constellation Orion on the night of Nov. 18. Be sure to check the weather in your area before you stargaze.
The new week will begin with one of the final celestial alignments of 2024 as the moon shines directly between Jupiter and Mars in the eastern sky—an event that is easy to see for stargazers of all ages.
Jupiter and the moon will become visible shortly after nightfall, but the entire show won’t be observable until after 10 p.m. local time, once Mars rises above the horizon. After that, the trio will be visible for the rest of the night, provided the sky remains cloud-free.
The constellation Orion will also be visible throughout the night, just to the right of Jupiter, the moon and Mars. In the middle of the constellation, onlookers can spot Orion’s Belt, a line of three stars that stands out in the sky even for novice stargazers.
As the night progresses, Orion and the nearby formation of planets and the moon will drift across the southern sky, eventually shifting to the western sky just before daybreak.
The constellation Orion glowing over trees in the night sky.
People who miss the alignment on Monday night will have another chance after sunset on Tuesday, as the three will once again shine in a line.
The event will wrap up on Wednesday night as the moon and Mars shine side-by-side all night long and will be close enough to be seen in the same field of view when using a telescope or pair of binoculars.
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