2026, March 27: Gibbous Moon Near Jupiter Tonight – Beehive Cluster Washed Out

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.

Jupiter, Regulus, October 8, 2014
Jupiter, Regulus, October 8, 2014

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

Jupiter, Moon, Gemini, March 27, 2026
Chart Caption – 2026, March 27: The bright gibbous moon and Jupiter are in the southern sky after sunset.

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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