March 27, 2026: A 74% illuminated gibbous moon shines near Jupiter after sunset in Cancer. Learn where to look and why the Beehive Cluster is difficult to see tonight.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:42 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 7:11 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
After sunset, the bright gibbous moon, 74% illuminated, is high in the southeastern sky. It is in front of Cancer, near the Beehive star cluster, although moonlight overwhelms the cluster. They fit into the same binocular field, but only the brightest stars of the cluster are visible. Better viewing nights are ahead for the cluster without a bright moon.
An hour after sunset, the moon is over 20° to the lower left of Jupiter. After Venus, the Jovian Giant is the next brightest starlike body in tonight’s sky.
Jupiter slowly moves eastward in front of Gemini, near the Twins – Castor and Pollux. During the night, Jupiter, the moon, and the stars appear farther westward. Jupiter sets in the west-northwest about four hours before sunrise. The moon sets about 90 minutes after Jupiter.
Look for the bright gibbous moon and Jupiter tonight.
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