June 11, 2026: A waning crescent moon showing earthshine appears between Saturn and Mars before sunrise, while Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury line up in the western sky after sunset.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:15 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:26 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
Today’s almanac highlights the approaching solstice and the visibilities of the five bright planets and the moon.
Almanac for Sun, Moon, and Planets
Sun, Moon
Sun: The solstice is 10 days away when the sun makes its longest arc across the sky in the northern hemisphere and its shortest south of the equator. At Chicago’s latitude, daylight lasts 15 hours, 11 minutes, compared to 13 hours, 43 minutes in Miami. At the far northern latitudes, regions experience no darkness, only daylight and twilight. In Anchorage, the sun is in the sky 19 hours, 16 minutes. The sun is overhead at local noon at latitude 23° north. South of the equator in Auckland, daylight spans only 9 hours, 31 minutes. The city’s southern latitude nearly matches Nashville’s northern latitude.
Moon: The waning crescent moon, 19% illuminated and showing earthshine, is over 20° above the east-southeast horizon. It is nearly midway between Mars in the east-northeast and Saturn in the east-southeast.
Morning Sky
Saturn and Mars are in the eastern morning sky. The Ringed Wonder is about 20° above the east-southeast horizon. This morning, the crescent moon is over 15° to the lower left. The planet’s altitude – height above the horizon – affects the visibility of the rings through a telescope. Wait a few weeks for the first good telescopic views until the planet is higher in the sky before morning twilight begins.
The Red Planet is about 10° above the east-northeast horizon. It is still a binocular object. It marches eastward in front of Aries, nearly 35° from Saturn and almost 20° to the lunar crescent’s lower left.
Additionally, Uranus is in the same region as Mars, although it is too low and the sky is too bright for easy observing. Neptune is to the upper right of Saturn, but its visibility is affected by bright twilight.
Evening Sky
After their conjunction two nights ago, Venus and Jupiter are still close together in the west-northwest after sunset, while Mercury, fading in brightness, is to the lower right.
One hour after sunset, brilliant Venus is over 15° above the west-northwest horizon. The Evening Star is 2.7° to the upper left of bright Jupiter and 6.7° to Pollux’s upper left, one of the Gemini Twins. This is the final evening that Venus, Jupiter, and Pollux fit into the same binocular field of view. Tonight, Venus crosses in front of Cancer’s dim stars.
Mercury reaches greatest elongation, the farthest it appears from the sun, on June 15. As it moves farther east of the sun, less of the planet is illuminated and it dims noticeably. Begin looking about 45 minutes after sunset to first locate the Elusive Planet about 10° above the west-northwest horizon, 13.2° to Venus’ lower right. Can you see it without the binocular’s optical assist? Follow it as the sky darkens further and more stars become visible.
Continue to watch the moon pass the planets in the morning sky and the planets line up after sunset.
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