Shoot the Sky: Mars and Jupiter Side by Side – This weekend, step outside before sunrise and look to the southeast. Jupiter and Mars are drifting close together, and by Monday morning they’ll look like two bright stars side by side. You won’t need a telescope, just a clear morning and an open view of the sky.
Mars & Jupiter – Side by Side?
When two planets appear close together from our perspective, it’s called a conjunction. They aren’t physically near each other in space, but they line up from our view on Earth. This coming Sunday and Monday mornings, Mars and Jupiter will be about 1.2 degrees apart, a little more than the width of two full moons. Jupiter appears as the bright, creamy white one, and Mars appears as fainter, with a warm orange-red glow. This weekend is a great opportunity to photograph both Mars and Jupiter in one frame – and to get a good look!
When & Where to Look
The best time to see Mars and Jupiter is before sunrise. Head out about an hour before sunrise, roughly 5:30 to 6:00 AM, and look halfway up the southeastern sky. Bright planets can shine through light pollution, so your backyard or driveway should work fine. Binoculars can help your viewing too. Both planets will fit in the same view, and you may even spot a few of Jupiter’s moons as tiny dots accompanying Jupiter.
Photographing the Pair
For a close-up, use a long telephoto lens, around 200 to 400mm, on a tripod to reduce camera shake. Focus manually on Jupiter in live view. Keep your exposures short, since planets are bright: try ISO 400, f/5.6, and 1/4 to 1 second and fine tune your settings from there. For a more scenic shot, switch to a wider lens, include a treeline or rooftop, and stay out as the sky turns deep blue before dawn. You can even try using your phone in night mode while propped on something steady like a tripod.
If It’s Cloudy
Check the forecast before and plan to head out on the clearest morning. Clear skies will give you the easiest viewing opportunity and best chance to capture clear images. Even a partly cloudy sky can work if there’s a clear area in the southeast. If it’s cloudy all weekend, the planets will still be close for several more mornings, just a little farther apart each day.