These are the views that make getting up and heading out in the dark well worth it. When the horizon provides a natural filter to lessen the relative blaze of the crescent Moon so that the planets in the sky--Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn (left to right)--are all in perfect balance..... This 6 second exposure was taken from behind The Nokesville School in Nokesville, VA, and was the final image of a series of days beginning at the end of February when the three planets began to show themselves at sunrise.

From a spot in Nokesville, Va. Luckily the weather cleared up to create both a fantastic sunset and allow the capture of these three together. If you follow the pointing of the crescent Moon, Jupiter is in the center of the photo, above the transmission towers, and Mercury is further down along that same line to the right.

Jupiter is on top, Mercury is at the bottom. Visible together for only about 15 minutes from my vantage point in Nokesville, Va.

As viewed with the Victory Baptist Church, Nokesville, in the foreground, with the Galilean Moons visible.

As viewed from Hazelwood Dr, Nokesville, VA.

Close-up view as the two giant planets seemingly come together as viewed from Hazelwood Dr., Nokesville, VA. Visible with Jupiter are its four Galilean Moon (top to bottom), Callisto, Ganymede, Io, and Europa. In between Callisto and Ganymede is the star, HD 191250.

Saturn is on top of this trio shining brightly as seen from Manassas Battlefield Park.

Clear Lake, near Houston, Tx, provided this foreground for viewing the crescent Moon and Venus.

Early morning, just before sunrise, Jupiter and Mars were close enough for both to be in the frame at full zoom (600mm). At about 1 degree of separation, this was as close as the two planets would appear in 2020. Taken from my driveway in Bristow, VA, three of Jupiter's Galilean Moons are visible Europa to the left and Ganymede and Callisto to the right (Io is very close to Jupiter and not visible through the giant planet's glare).

In the early morning, just before sunrise, this image was taken of the three getting together from my driveway in Bristow, VA. Three of Jupiter's Galilean Moons--Io, Ganymede, and Callisto (l-r)--are visible to the right of the giant planet.

Close up shot of Jupiter, Io, Ganymede, and Callisto. Europa is in front of Jupiter and therefore not visible.

As the giant planets approached opposition--meaning the Earth is on a line between the Sun and the planets--I was able to get some of the best close up shots. No telescope involved, just my camera and Tamron 150mm-600mm zoom lens at 5 a.m.

Taken when Saturn and Earth were "only" 900 million miles apart.

Venus and the crescent Moon shine brightly over my neighbor's house in the early evening.