The crescent Moon meets Venus and Jupiter this week – and the show starts tonight. Here’s how to see it
Can you see a vibrant star beside the crescent Moon tonight? That’s both Venus or Jupiter, relying on which night time you are trying up this week.
Venus and Jupiter are the greatest planets to see in the night time sky in May 2026.
They can each be seen in the west after sundown, Venus low down in direction of the horizon and Jupiter a lot greater up.
The planets are getting nearer and nearer collectively every night, and will probably be at their closest collectively throughout the Venus–Jupiter conjunction on June 9, 2026.
For extra data, learn our information to observing Venus and Jupiter in May 2026.
During the week starting May 18, 2026, the skinny crescent Moon will meet each planets in the night time sky, making for an attractive three-body view seen with the bare eye in the early night.
If you have got clear skies and a transparent view, you are in for a deal with.
Just after sundown, Venus and Jupiter will probably be the solely vibrant ‘stars’ in the sky, and the Moon will probably be an attractive skinny crescent beside the two planetary factors of sunshine.
While the planets do not change their obvious place in the night time sky to any noticeable diploma from one night time to the subsequent, the Moon hops eastward alongside the sky night time after night time.
That’s why this week it will make an in depth strategy to Venus, then Jupiter, over the coming evenings.
Here are the key dates and what you may see.
18 May – The skinny crescent Moon will probably be to the proper of Venus, simply after sundown. A flat, clear western horizon will probably be wanted to see each Moon and planet, as they’re going to be low-down as soon as the Sun units.
Make positive solely to look to the west as soon as the Sun has totally set, as unintentionally the Sun together with your bare eye may injury your eyesight.
19 May – Tonight is arguably a way more tantalizing prospect than the earlier night time. Venus is as soon as once more low in the west after sundown, however now the crescent Moon is higher-up and additional to the ‘left’.
Find Venus and draw an imaginary line between Venus and the Moon. Extend that line upwards and you may arrive at one other vibrant ‘star’. That’s Jupiter.
The sight of Venus, the crescent Moon and Jupiter tonight will probably be an absolute pleasure. If you have got clear skies, make sure that to search out this assembly of three celestial our bodies – historically often known as a massing in astronomy – simply after sundown.
20 May – The crescent Moon is now barely fuller and is above and to the left of Jupiter. The crescent Moon varieties a line with Castor and Polluxthe twin stars of Geministretching throughout the sky above Jupiter.
21 May – The crescent Moon is now a lot greater and additional to the left of Jupiter.
And so concludes this week’s assembly of the crescent Moon, Venus and Jupiter.
The Moon will proceed transferring eastwards every night time, its part rising – or ‘waxing’ – till it reaches full Moon on May 31, 2026.
That full Moon will probably be the second full Moon in May 2026making it a ‘month-to-month blue Moon’.
If you observe or {photograph} the crescent Moon, Venus and Jupiter this week, get in contact and tell us by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com