June 11 – 14, 2021: After the solar eclipse, the crescent moon returns to the western sky after sunset appearing with Evening Star Venus on June 11. Each evening the crescent waxes and appears higher in the sky. The crescent is near Mars on June 13.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
After the annular solar eclipse on June 10, the waxing crescent moon appears in the western sky after sunset. It moves past Evening Star Venus and then Mars.
Here’s what to look for:
June 11: Forty-five minutes after sunset, brilliant Venus is about 8° up in the west-northwest. The crescent moon, 2% illuminated, is 2.8° to the lower right of Venus.
June 12: This evening the moon, 6% illuminated, is over 8° to the upper left of Venus and 4.5° to the lower left of Pollux.
June 13: The crescent moon, 12% illuminated and 20° to the upper left of Venus, is 2.9° above Mars.
June 14: The crescent moon is nearly 20% illuminated and 30° up in the west. The lunar slice is over 14° to the upper left of Mars.
Photographers can capture sunlight reflected from Earth’s oceans, land, and clouds that illuminates the night portion of the moon. This is known as earthshine. In the photo above, the moon was 9% illuminated. The photo’s properties: 140mm, f/5.6, 5 seconds exposure, ISO-100.
Articles and Summaries
- Venus as an Evening Star
- Venus Evening Star (Summary)
- Mars during 2021 (Summary)
- Planets during June 2021
2021, July 7: Venus – Mars Countdown
July 7, 2021: In five evenings, Venus passes Mars for the first conjunction in a triple conjunction that carries into 2022. Look for them low in the west-northwest after sunset.
2021, July: Mercury’s Summer Morning Visibility
July 2021: Elusive Mercury appears in the morning sky in the east-northeast during morning twilight. The best mornings to see Mercury are July 7 and July 8, when the moon is nearby.
2021, July 6: Venus, Mars Final Approach
July 6, 2021: In less than a week, brilliant Venus passes Mars in the west-northwestern sky after sunset. This evening the two planets are 3.8° apart. Venus is over 18° to the lower right of the star Regulus.
2021, July 1- 7, Morning Moon
July 1 – July 7, 2021, the waning crescent appears in the eastern sky. Early in the viewing period, the moon is among the dim stars of Pisces. As the week progresses, the moon wanes and moves farther eastward, appearing near Taurus.
2021, July 5: Earth at Aphelion
July 5, 2021: Our planet Earth reaches its farthest point in its yearly trek around the sun. Our seasons are not related to Earth’s distance from the sun. Coincidentally, the moon is at its farthest point from Earth today.
Categories: Astronomy, Sky Watching
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