2026, August 30: A Venus-Spica Conjunction Nears

August 30, 2026: After sunset, Venus nears Spica before their conjunction in two nights. The moon passes Saturn, while Jupiter and Mars are visible before sunrise.

2021, September 5: Venus and Spica are visible during evening twilight in the west-southwest.
Photo Caption – 2021, September 5: Venus and Spica are visible during evening twilight in the west-southwest.

by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:15 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 7:27 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 Highlights

  • Venus Nears Spica
  • Saturn-Moon Conjunction
  • Jupiter, Mars Before Sunrise

Venus Nears Spica

Venus, Spica, August 30, 2026
Chart Caption – 2026, August 30: At 45 minutes after sunset, brilliant Venus is to Spica’s lower right.

Brilliant Venus approaches Spica, Virgo’s brightest star in the west-southwest after sunset.  At 45 minutes after sundown, find a clear horizon and take along a binocular to find the planet less than 10° above the horizon and 2.2° to Spica’s lower right.  The Venus-Spica conjunction occurs in two evenings.

Saturn, Moon

Saturn, Moon, August 30, 2026
Chart Caption – 2026, August 30: One hour before sunrise, the gibbous moon is to Saturn’s lower right.

The moon is visible after sunset and before sunrise.  It is near Saturn before sunrise and closer after sunset.

Saturn, Moon, August 30, 2026
Chart Caption – 2026, August 30: Three hours after sunset, the bright moon is to Saturn’s upper left in the east.

An hour before sunrise, the moon, 95% illuminated, is nearly 40° above the southwest horizon and over 10° to Saturn’s lower right.

Three hours after sunset, the lunar orb, 90% illuminated, is 20° above the east horizon and 5.5° to Saturn’s upper left, a Saturn-Moon conjunction.

Saturn rises about 90 minutes after sunset and it is in the sky nearly all night.  It is a pretty sight through a telescope.  The rings are easily visible with the pale clouds in the southern hemisphere that are whipped parallel to the planet’s equator.

Jupiter, Mars

Jupiter, Mars, August 30, 2026
Chart Caption – 2026, August 30: One hour before sunrise, bright Jupiter and Mars are in the eastern sky.

Before sunrise, farther east of the Saturn and Moon pairing in the southwest, bright Jupiter and Mars are in the eastern sky.  Jupiter continues to emerge from bright morning twilight, appearing 10° above the east-northeast horizon.

Mars, nearly 40° above the east-horizon and over 30° to Jupiter’s upper right, marches eastward against Gemini.  It’s eastward change from morning to morning is easy to observe.  This morning, the Red Planet is 12.6° to Castor’s upper right, one of the Twins.

Look for Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, and Moon during the nighttime hours.

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