February 27, 2026: Three bright planets are in the western twilight while the gibbous moon aligns near Jupiter. A realistic guide to current planet visibility.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:29 a.m. CST; Sunset, 5:39 p.m. CST. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
Venus as an Evening Star
Evening Planets
After sunset, three bright planets are in the western sky while the gibbous moon is near Jupiter.
The peak of this planet grouping occurred a few nights ago, not on the widely publicized date.
Venus emerges from evening twilight. About 30 minutes after sunset, look low in the western sky from an elevated observing location. A binocular may help with initial identification.
Ten minutes later, Venus is about 3° above the horizon, and 4.5° to Mercury’s lower left. Both fit into the same binocular field. Mercury dims noticeably each evening and is difficult to see in bright twilight tonight. Its visibility depends on a very clear sky and an unobstructed horizon.
Saturn is over 12° above the horizon and nearly 10° to Venus’ upper left. Its altitude places it above the brightest twilight, but it does not fit into the same binocular field with Venus. Use optical aid to locate it.
Neptune is in the same general area as Saturn, but is too dim to be seen in twilight, even with a binocular.
Jupiter, Moon, and Gemini Twins
At this time, the gibbous moon, 86% illuminated, is near Jupiter. These two are visible for most of the night, so there is no urgency to observe them immediately after sunset. Venus and Mercury set about one hour after sunset. Saturn sets roughly an hour later.
About one hour after nightfall, the moon is more than halfway from the horizon to overhead. Jupiter is “the bright star” to the moon’s upper right. Both are near the Gemini Twins.
The moon lies nearly in line with Castor and Pollux. Pollux is 4.1° above the moon. Castor is 4.5° above Pollux. Because of the moon’s brightness, shield it with your hand as you would for the sun while locating nearby stars.
The moon is moving toward the Full (Worm) Moon on March 3 and a lunar eclipse visible across the Americas.
Uranus may be visible through a binocular near the Pleiades and the stars 13 and 14 Tauri.
Tonight’s Planet Lineup
- Mercury: Fading into twilight. Visibility is very limited.
- Venus: Low in bright twilight. Clear horizon required.
- Mars: Not part of the evening sky. It rises before sunrise.
- Jupiter: Bright and visible for most of the night.
- Saturn: In the western sky after sunset. Requires careful searching.
- Uranus: Binocular object near the Pleiades. It is a challenging view in bright moonlight.
- Neptune: Not visible in twilight.
Nearly three hours after sunset, Jupiter, Moon, and the Gemini Twins are high in the southern sky. They set in the west-northwest more than two hours before sunrise.
The reported “planet parade” has already reached its best viewing. Several planets are poorly placed for evening observation. Venus is present but low. Uranus is detectable with optical aid. Jupiter is the dominant nighttime planet.
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