June 1, 2026: Venus rapidly closes the gap to Jupiter in the western sky after sunset while Mercury joins the bright evening planet lineup in Gemini.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:18 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:19 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
Evening Planet Show
A conjunction of two bright planets unfolds in the western sky after sunset. Venus is overtaking Jupiter leading to their close pairing in about a week when the two planets are 1.6° apart, about three Full Moon diameters. As the two brightest starlike bodies in the night sky, Venus and Jupiter are easy to locate. Step outside an hour after sunset. Those two bright stars in the west-northwest are them.
Brilliant Venus is easily visible as early as 30 minutes after sunset because it is bright enough to shine through evening twilight. Jupiter becomes visible shortly thereafter. Tonight, their separation is 7.7°, still too wide to fit into the same binocular field of view. Tomorrow evening, the gap is smaller and both planets fit into the same binocular field.
Venus and Jupiter are part of a larger evening planet display that includes Mercury over 15° to Venus’ lower right. Tonight, the three planets span over 23° across the western sky.
Mercury Joins
At 45 minutes after sunset, look for Mercury nearly 10° above the west-northwest horizon. Initially locate it through a binocular. The best view of the three planets along an imaginary diagonal line lasts for about 40 minutes beginning at this time interval after sunset and before Mercury disappears into the thicker air near the horizon.
All three planets are in front of Gemini. Mercury is near Castor’s foot, while Venus is 9.0° to the lower left of Castor. Jupiter is 6.3° to Pollux’ lower left, the other Twin.
Each night Venus closes in on Jupiter while Mercury reduces its gap to Venus. Watch these bright planets noticeably change positions from night to night.
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