July 17, 2026: Watch a beautiful Venus–Moon conjunction after sunset. See earthshine on the crescent moon and locate Regulus near the brilliant Evening Star.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:31 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:23 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-Moon Conjunction
A Venus–Moon conjunction occurs after sunset as the lunar crescent passes the brilliant Evening Star in the western sky. The brilliant Evening Star shines from the west. By mid-twilight – an hour after sunset – Venus is over 10° above the horizon. The crescent moon, 18% illuminated, is 6.4° to the left, a tight fit in a binocular field of view. Regulus, Leo’s brightest star, is 9.0° to Venus’ lower right. The three bodies span over 15°.
Earthshine
The brilliant planet and the lunar crescent are always a pretty sight with the colorful hues of evening twilight. Additionally, the moon shows earthshine – a gentle illumination on the moon’s night portion from sunlight reflecting from Earth’s oceans, clouds, and land. Earthshine is most noticeable during the next few evenings while the crescent remains thin. Capture the scene with a tripod-mounted camera or a steady camera phone. Exposures up to a few seconds record the moon with an overexposed crescent and earthshine. Multiple exposures at different settings and compositions can provide pretty images.
Venus is noticeably lower than a month ago. The ecliptic – the plane of the solar system – is flattening compared to the western horizon. Even while Venus appears farther from the sun, it is lower in the sky because of the declining angle of the ecliptic.
Mirroring the sun’s southerly sunset change, Venus appears farther south along the horizon. In a month, Venus is about 7° above the west-southwest horizon at one hour after sunset. On August 15, the lunar crescent is near the horizon, 4° to Venus’ lower right.
After sunset, look for Venus and the moon first, then locate Regulus nearby to watch Venus continue opening a widening gap with the star.
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