May 27, 2025: Look for a thin lunar crescent in the western sky after nightfall near Jupiter.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:21 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:16 p.m. CDT. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program.
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VENUS AS A MORNING STAR, 2025
Jupiter, Crescent Moon after Sunset
A razor-thin waxing crescent moon appears in the west-northwest during evening twilight. The moon is at the New phase at 4:02 a.m. Central Time.
At 45 minutes after nightfall, find an unobstructed horizon looking toward the west-northwest. Bright Jupiter is about 7° up in the sky. Use a binocular to see Elnath, 7.0° to Jupiter’s right. They fit snugly into the same field of view. The crescent moon, 1% illuminated and 5° above horizon, is 3.4° to the star’s lower right, a comfortable fit in the binocular’s field.
Mars Nears Regulus
Fifteen minutes later, Mars is less than halfway up in the west-southwest. It is in front of western Leo, 11.2° to Regulus’ lower right, Leo’s brightest star. Mars’ eastward march moves it closer to the bright star, with the conjunction occurring on June 17th.
Venus and Saturn before Sunrise
Earlier this morning during twilight, brilliant Venus is over 10° above the east-horizon. It continues to step eastward in front of Pisces as it approaches the Aries border. Through a telescope, the planet displays a thick morning crescent, 47% illuminated.
The Venusian phase reaches 50% on June 1st when the planet is at its maximum separation from the sun, known as the greatest elongation. On that morning, it rises over two hours before sunrise, appearing over 10° above the horizon an hour later.
Saturn, over 20° to Venus’ upper right, is easier to see each morning. It is dimmer than average because its rings are tilted so that its icy particles reflect light away from Earth. Through a telescope, the rings are viewed from nearly edge-on, like viewing a dinner plate from the side. It appears in the same binocular field, though the view is clearer later during the summer.
Tomorrow evening the crescent moon is higher in the sky, over 8° above Jupiter.
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