May 22-24, 2026: Watch the waxing moon move through Leo after sunset while brilliant Venus and Jupiter shine in the western sky. Learn how to find Regulus, Denebola, and the Sickle of Leo.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Venus as an Evening Star
Evening Moon
After sunset, the moon waxes while passing Leo in the southwestern sky.
The moon reaches the First Quarter phase – the evening half-full phase – on May 23 at 6:11 a.m. Central Time when it is below the horizon for observers across the western hemisphere.
See Venus, Jupiter in Western Sky
Step outside an hour after sunset. Brilliant Venus and Jupiter shine from the western sky, while the moon is higher in the southwest.
Moon with Leo
During these three evenings, the lunar orb passes Leo, appearing as a westward-facing feline silhouette. The head is outlined by a half dozen stars forming a backwards question mark. Regulus, meaning “the prince,” marks the bottom of the pattern. The shape is sometimes known as the Sickle of Leo because it resembles the curved outline of an agricultural cutting tool. The Lion’s haunches and tail, marked by Denebola, form a triangle.
Regulus is the closest bright star to the ecliptic, and the moon passes nearby each month. The bright planets pass by regularly as well. The next Venus–Regulus conjunction occurs on July 9.
In contrast, Denebola is about 12° north of the ecliptic, so the bright solar system bodies pass much farther away.
With the moon brightening each evening, use a binocular to trace Leo’s pattern against the darkening sky.
Highlights
Here is what to see during the next three evenings:
• May 22: The thick crescent moon, 46% illuminated, is halfway from the southwest horizon to overhead, 3.0° to the lower right of Regulus.
• May 23: The slightly gibbous moon, 57% illuminated, is over halfway up in the southwest, over 10° to Regulus’ lower left.
• May 24: The bright moon, 67% illuminated, is over halfway up in the south-southwest, nearly 15° to Denebola’s lower left.
Each evening, watch the moon appear farther eastward as its phase waxes.
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