September 1, 2026: A Venus-Spica conjunction occurs tonight in the west-southwest sky. See brilliant Venus and Virgo’s brightest star low above the horizon after sunset with a binocular.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:17a.m. CDT; Sunset, 7:24 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-Spica Conjunction
A Venus-Spica conjunction occurs this evening in the west-southwest.
Step outside at 45 minutes after sunset and look toward the west-southwest. Take along a binocular and find a clear view in that direction. A view from a hilltop or a high floor in an elevated structure helps with seeing across any obstructions along the horizon.
Brilliant Venus is less than 10° above the west-southwest horizon. Spica is 1.5° to Venus’ upper right. Use the binocular to initially identify the star near the Evening Star.
Venus nears greatest brilliancy in about three weeks. The planet is overtaking Earth. Through a telescope, the planet displays an evening crescent phase, 38% illuminated. As the phase thins, it grows in size. The planet’s crescent covers the largest area of the sky, known as the greatest illuminated extent, on the 19th.
Venus Steps Away From Spica
During the next several evenings, Venus steps away from Spica as the star disappears into evening twilight. The planet appears to the lower left on these evenings. Here are the separations:
September 2, 1.7°
September 3, 2.2°
September 4, 2.8°
September 5, 3.4°
September 6, 4.1°
September 7, 4.8°
Each evening the planet and star appear in the same binocular field.
After Venus passes between Earth and Sun on October 23, it races into the east-southeast before sunrise. As Spica emerges from its solar conjunction, Venus passes it again during early November.
Watch Venus brighten as it steps away from Spica.
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