May 21, 2021: Three bright planets are dancing in the western sky after sundown. Evening Star Venus is entering the sky for a months-long residency after its solar conjunction two months ago. Mercury is heading for a conjunction with Venus after its best evening appearance of the year. Mars continues its eastward march in Gemini, but time is running out on its appearance as it approaches brighter evening twilight and a conjunction with Venus.
May 14, 2021: Five planets are on parade. Bright Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeast before sunrise. After sundown, brilliant Evening Star Venus, Mercury, Mars, and the lunar crescent are in the evening sky.
May 13, 2021: Venus, Mercury, the crescent moon, and Mars are in the western sky after sunset.
May 12, 2021: Thirty minutes after sunset, the razor-thin moon is 1.2° to the left of brilliant Venus. This is the closest grouping of the moon and Venus during this evening appearance of the brilliant planet. Mercury is 9.1° to the upper left of Venus. Mars maintains its eastward march in Gemini. Sirius and Aldebaran are near their heliacal settings, their final appearances in the evening sky for the year.
May 11, 2021: The planet parade continues today. Five planets are on display. Bright Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeastern sky before sunrise. After sundown, brilliant Venus, Mercury, and Mars are in the western sky. The moon is at its New phase and at apogee today.
May 10, 2021: Five planets are on display. Jupiter and Saturn are visible in the southeastern sky before sunrise. Brilliant Venus, Mercury, and Mars shine from the western sky after sunset. Only the sun disrupts a continuous view of the five worlds.
May 9, 2021: Look for five planets today. Jupiter and Saturn are visible in the southeast before sunrise. Venus, Mercury, and Mars are in the western sky after sunset.
May 7, 2021: The planets and moon parade across the sky today. Jupiter and Saturn are visible before sunrise in the southeast. The moon can be seen closer to sunrise. After sunset Venus, Mercury, and Mars are in the west-northwest.
May 6, 2021: During a 24-hour period, the five bright planets and the moon are visible. Before sunrise this morning, Saturn, Jupiter, and the crescent moon are lined up in the southeast. After sunset, brilliant Evening Star Venus is visible after sunset. As the sky darkens Mercury, then Mars, appears in the western sky.
May 5, 2021: Brilliant Venus, Mercury, and Mars are visible in the western sky after sunset. Venus is visible low in the west-northwest about 30 minutes after sunset. By 45 minutes after sundown, Mercury is visible to the brilliant planet’s upper left. Mars is easily visible and hour after the sun sets, about one-third of the way up in the west, in front of the stars of Gemini.
