A crescent moon shines in the morning sky with Venus. Castor and Pollux, the Gemini Twins, are nearby.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Brilliant morning star Venus and the crescent moon shine from the eastern sky this morning. The moon is only 9% illuminated.
The moon is about 12° to the lower left of the brilliant planet.
Venus and the moon are in front of the stars of Gemini. The moon is 6.6° to the right of Pollux. Venus is 1.2° to the lower left of Nu Geminorum (η Gem on the photo).
This evening, locate Jupiter and Saturn in the southeastern sky after sunset.
The first sightings of Sirius by the unaided eye occur are occurring this morning about 45 minutes before sunrise.
Here is a daily summary about the planets during August.
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April 28-20, 2026: A waxing crescent moon joins Venus and the Pleiades after sunset. Look west-northwest to follow their changing positions and catch earthshine. - 2026, April 17: Arcturus and Spica Shine in the Eastern Sky After Sunset
April 17, 2026: Two bright stars, Arcturus and Spica, anchor the eastern sky after sunset while Venus and Jupiter shine in the west. Use this guide to locate them and understand their motion. - 2026, April 16: Venus and Jupiter After Sunset, Moon Near New Phase in Morning Twilight
April 16, 2026: Venus shines in the west-northwest after sunset while Jupiter stands high in the west-southwest. The moon nears New phase, hidden in bright morning twilight. - 2026, April 15: Venus and Jupiter After Sunset, Crescent Moon Low Before Sunrise
April 15, 2026: Venus and Jupiter shine after sunset while a thin crescent moon sits low before sunrise. Track Venus moving toward the Pleiades and Aldebaran. - 2026, April 14: Venus Dominates the Evening Sky with Sirius and Orion
April 14, 2026: Venus shines brightly after sunset while Sirius twinkles in the southwest. Orion stands between them as the spring sky shifts westward each evening.