May 25-27, 2026: Watch the waxing gibbous moon pass Spica in Virgo while Venus steadily overtakes Jupiter in the western evening sky before their June 9 conjunction.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Venus as an Evening Star
Evening Gibbous Moon, Planets
With the Venus–Jupiter display in the western sky leading to their June 9 conjunction, the moon waxes through the evening gibbous phase and passes Spica. The brightening moonlight spreads across the sky, muting the visibility of dimmer stars.
Blue Moon
The moon reaches the Full phase on May 31, the month’s second full moon and commonly named the Blue Moon. The name keeps the seasonal full moon names aligned with their traditional seasons.
Spica
Spica, meaning “the ear of corn,” is Virgo’s brightest star and the 10th brightest star visible for sky watchers at the mid-northern latitudes.
Highlights
Here is what to see an hour after sunset in the southern sky:
• May 25: The moon, 76% illuminated, is over 40° above the southern horizon, nearly 20° to the upper right of Spica.
• May 26: The lunar orb, 84% illuminated, is over 35° above the southern horizon and 5.7° to the right of Spica.
• May 27: The bright moon, 90% illuminated, is 30° above the southern horizon, 7.5° to Spica’s lower left.
While Venus overtakes Jupiter in the western sky, watch the moon move eastward and pass Spica.
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