What’s up in the night sky: June 2026

Welcome to our night sky monthly feature where we focus on easy and fun things to see in the night sky, mostly with just your eyes. This month: In the evening sky, Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets, snuggle up for a couple nights. A few days later, they line up with Mercury and the crescent Moon to make quite the evening display.

All Month: Super bright Venus dominates the early evening western sky.

All Month: Very bright Jupiter starts the month above Venus in the early evening west, before trading places on June 8 and 9. The crescent Moon joins them June 16 and 17. Watch the two move from night to night over the course of the month.

All Month: Yellowish Saturn is getting higher above the pre-dawn eastern horizon as the days pass.

All Month: Reddish Mars is low to the horizon, below Saturn in the pre-dawn east.

All Month: Mercury is visible below Venus and Jupiter soon after sunset if you have a clear view to the western horizon.

June 8 and 9: Super bright Venus is very near very bright Jupiter in the night sky, making for a lovely image. Look in the western sky as the sky darkens after sunset.

June 15: Mercury at its highest above the horizon for this observing period.

June 16 and 17: The crescent Moon lines up with Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury. The Gemini stars Pollux and Castor are nearby.

June 21: June Solstice marking the start of summer, as well as the longest daytime of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and winter and the shortest daytime of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.

June 29: Full Moon