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 – 2022, Venus – Mars Triple Conjunction
During 2021 into 2022, Venus passes Mars three times for a triple conjunction. The first occurs on July 12, 2021. The others occur during early 2022, followed by a close approach of the two planets.
2021, July 6: Venus – Saturn Opposition
July 6, 2021: This is the second bright planet – planet opposition this month. Venus and Saturn are in opposite directions from Earth. Venus sets about the time that Saturn rises. After this date, Venus and Saturn together are in the evening sky until early 2022.
2021, June 19: Evening Sky, Moon, Spica
June 19, 2021: The waxing moon appears with Spica in the southwestern sky during the early evening hours.
2021, June 26 – June 30: Bright Moon, Morning Planets
June 26 – June 30, 2021: The bright gibbous moon passes Jupiter and Saturn in the morning sky before sunrise. Observe that the moon is in a different spot each morning, farther east toward the impending sunrise.
2021, June 15: Moon, Sickle of Leo
June 15, 2021: The moon is with the Sickle of Leo this evening. Step outside about an hour after sunset to find the crescent moon that is about 30% illuminated over one-third of the way up in the west.
Categories: Astronomy, Sky Watching
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