March 26, 2026: Venus dominates the western sky after sunset, climbing higher each evening. Look about 45 minutes after sunset to spot the brilliant Evening Star above the horizon.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:44 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 7:10 p.m. CDT. 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
Almanac for Sun, Moon, and Planets
Sun, Moon
Sun: The sun continues to move rapidly northward. At Chicago’s latitude, daylight is 12 hours, 26 minutes, compared to 12 hours, 17 minutes in Miami. In Anchorage, daylight spans 12 hours, 49 minutes. Daylight’s length changes quickly at this latitude. By month’s end, Anchorage gains another 30 minutes of sunshine. The sun is overhead at local noon at latitude 2° north. South of the equator, the sun shines for 11 hours, 35 minutes.
Moon: A night after the First Quarter phase, the bright gibbous moon is high in the south-southwest after sunset, near Jupiter.
Planets Not Visible
Mercury and Mars: Mercury and Mars are west of the sun, rising during bright twilight. Rising nearly an hour before sunrise, Mercury is only 5° above the horizon. At this point in its apparition, the planet is over a week before its greatest elongation and is faint. During this morning appearance, Mercury’s visibility suffers because the ecliptic makes a shallow angle with the eastern horizon. Meanwhile, Mars rises about 30 minutes before the sun, and it is still lost in the sun’s glare.
Saturn and Neptune: Saturn was at conjunction with the sun yesterday. It will not emerge into a dark eastern morning sky for several weeks. Similarly, Neptune was at conjunction with the sun four days ago.
Bright Planets after Sunset
Venus: The Evening Star continues to emerge from brighter twilight in the western evening sky. It is farther northward each evening, reflecting the sun’s northern motion and the changing sunset points. At 45 minutes after sunset, it is nearly 10° above the western horizon. Find a clear view in that direction. A hilltop or a high floor in an elevated building assists with the view.
Jupiter: After Venus, the Jovian Giant is the next brightest object in the sky tonight. It is high in the south-southwest as darkness falls. From night to night, it slowly moves eastward in front of Gemini. Tonight, the moon is near an imaginary line from Pollux to Jupiter. During the night, Jupiter appears farther westward, setting in the west-northwest about four hours after sunset.
Uranus: The Tilted World is largely washed out by the bright moonlight. Through a binocular, it is in the same field of view as the Pleiades. Uranus’ window of visibility closes as the moon waxes.
While most planets are near the sun, Venus and Jupiter are easily seen after sunset.
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