June 9, 2026: See Venus and Jupiter in a close evening conjunction after sunset with Mercury lower in the west-northwest sky. Includes observing tips and future conjunction dates.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:16 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:25 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
Venus-Jupiter Conjunction
The Venus-Jupiter conjunction occurs in the west-northwest after sunset.
Step outside about an hour after sunset. Two bright starlike bodies are about 15° above the west-northwest horizon. Brilliant Venus is 1.6° to the upper right of Jupiter, the two brightest starlike bodies in the sky.
Every 10-15 months Venus passes Jupiter. These conjunctions are not rare, but they are notable, like a close Venus-Moon conjunction or eclipses.
Conjunction Photography
Capture the conjunction with a tripod-mounted camera or a steady camera phone. Use a variety of exposures and zoom settings to capture the two planets alone or with Pollux, one of the Gemini Twins, to the upper right. Expand the view to capture Mercury 13° to Venus’ lower right. Notice that Venus is east of an imaginary line from Jupiter to Pollux.
Use a binocular to see Venus, Jupiter, and Pollux in the same field of view. Optical assistance may be needed to initially see Mercury. About 45 minutes after sunset, the Elusive Planet is about 10° above the west-northwest horizon. As the sky darkens further, the planet is lower in the sky where the thicker atmosphere blurs and dims celestial bodies.
After tonight, Venus opens a gap that is wider each night.
Upcoming Conjunctions
During the next five Venus-Jupiter conjunctions, two occur when the planets are in bright sunlight. Since Venus is always near the sun, their visible pairings occur in the eastern sky before sunrise or in the west after sunset. Here are the observing prospects:
| Date | Note |
| August 25, 2027 | This occurs during the daytime and is not easily visible |
| November 10, 2028 | With a separation of 0.8°, this conjunction is nicely placed in the east-southeast before sunrise |
| September 7, 2029 | The planets are low in the west-southwest after sunset with a separation of 1.8°. |
| November 20, 2030 | This occurs when the planets are near the sun. |
| February 7, 2032 | This close conjunction (0.5°) occurs in the southeast before sunrise when the planets are low in the sky. |
Look for this evening’s conjunction of the two bright planets in the west-northwest. Each evening afterward, watch Venus open a widening gap with Jupiter.
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June 5, 2026: Venus closes to within 4° of Jupiter after sunset while Mercury joins the evening planet lineup low in the west-northwest sky.