Bright “Star” Next to Moon: What Planet Is Near the Moon Tonight?
A bright planet near the Moon — what a beautiful sight, easily visible to the naked eye! Want to know if Venus or Jupiter is close to the Moon tonight? Use the free Sky Tonight app! Featuring an astronomical calendar, it can also identify any bright dot near the Moon in real time. Check out this article to learn about the upcoming Moon-planet conjunctions.
Contents
- What is the dot next to the Moon tonight?
- What do astronomers call the approach of the Moon to the planet?
- Observations
- What planet is closest to the Moon in the sky: Bottom line
What is the dot next to the Moon tonight?
From May 25 to May 31, 2026, the Moon will visit the constellations Virgo, Libra, and Scorpius. This week, the most prominent objects near our natural satellite will be:
The Moon will reach its full phase on May 31 and remain bright and easy to spot for several nights around the date. It will be the second of two Full Moons in May 2026 — learn more about this phenomenon in our dedicated guide.
From June 1 to June 7, 2026, the Moon will pass through the constellations Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Capricornus, and by the end of the week, it will enter Aquarius. These constellations can’t boast many bright stars. The most prominent are Kaus Australis (mag 1.8) and Nunki (mag 2.0) in Sagittarius, where the Moon will be located from about June 2 to 4.
The Moon reached its full phase on May 31 and will arrive at its last quarter phase on June 8. This means that over the course of the week, it will change from a nearly fully illuminated disk to a half-illuminated one.
What do astronomers call the approach of the Moon to the planet?
In this article, you'll come across several types of celestial events. They all involve the relative positions of the Moon and celestial objects and occur close together in time. However, they differ in detail. Here is what each one means.
Closest approach (appulse)
Closest approach or appulse happens when two celestial objects have the smallest apparent distance as seen from the Earth. For the Moon and planets, appulse often takes place close to conjunction.
Conjunction
Conjunction occurs when two celestial objects have the same apparent right ascension or ecliptic longitude in the sky. In everyday language, the terms “conjunction” and “closest approach” are often used interchangeably. However, conjunction has a more technical meaning and does not necessarily occur with every appulse.
Moon-planet conjunctions occur frequently. Once every 27.3 days, our natural satellite passes through a narrow part of the sky centered on the ecliptic and encounters planets. Planetary conjunctions are less frequent; you can learn more about them in our separate article.
Occultation
Occultation takes place when a celestial body with a greater apparent diameter passes in front of a body with a smaller apparent diameter; for example, when the Moon passes in front of a star or planet. The occultation of the Sun by the Moon is called a solar eclipse. Each lunar occultation is only visible from some parts of the Earth. That's because the exact position of the Moon in the sky varies by up to 2° at different locations.
Observations
How to spot planets next to the Moon?
Here are some things to keep in mind for successful observations.
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You may miss the exact time of conjunction or closest approach, but don't worry! Even before or after the exact moment of the event, the objects will stay relatively close together, and that's just as worth observing.
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Depending on the angular distance between the objects, some events should be seen with a telescope and some with binoculars. In general, a good 10×50 binocular will give you a 6-7° field of view; for telescopes, this figure varies — it could be less than 1°. You can calculate the field of view of your optics yourself. And, of course, you can also observe an event with the naked eye.
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When the Moon is close to its full phase, it outshines fainter objects, so the planets and stars near the Full Moon may appear not as bright as they usually do.
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A bright object near the Moon can be a star or a planet. To know for sure which one you're seeing, use Sky Tonight: point your device at the object in question, and the app will tell you its name.
Jupiter and Venus (sometimes Mars and Saturn, too) are way brighter than most stars. You can tell the planets apart by their colors:
- Mercury is gray or brownish;
- Venus is pale yellow;
- Mars is pale pink or bright red;
- Jupiter is orange;
- Saturn is gold.
- To identify an object or find out when objects are closest together for your exact location, use the free stargazing tools — Sky Tonight or Star Walk 2.
Sky Tonight app
To identify an object in the sky with the help of Sky Tonight, follow these steps:
Step 1. Open Sky Tonight and point your device at the sky or tap the big blue button. A live representation of what you see in the sky will appear on the screen, and the app will start to follow your movements.
Step 2. Point your device at the part of the sky where the object is located. For convenience, you can limit the visual magnitude so that only those objects that can be seen with the naked eye appear on the screen. To do this, tap the panel at the bottom of the screen and drag the top slider to the left, closer to the eye icon. From this panel, you can also turn on the night mode, change the constellation appearance, and more.
Step 3. Now you can identify the bright object and get information about it by tapping on its name.
You can also watch our detailed video tutorial.
Star Walk 2 app
To identify an object in the sky with the help of Star Walk 2, follow these steps:
Step 1. Open Star Walk 2 and point your device at the sky or tap the compass icon in the top left corner of the screen. A live representation of what you see in the sky will appear on the screen, and the app will start to follow your movements.
Step 2. Point your device at the part of the sky where the object is located. For convenience, drag the slider on the left down until only the objects you can see in the sky remain on the screen.
Step 3. Now you can identify the bright object and get information about it by tapping on its name at the bottom of the screen.
You can also watch our detailed video tutorial. Find more videos in the Tutorials section.
How to photograph the Moon with planets?
You can take a picture of a planet near the Moon with a professional camera or even a smartphone. Here are some tips to help you:
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Check the weather forecast. Open the Sky Tonight app and tap the telescope icon at the bottom. You'll see two tabs — Stargazing Index and Weather. Select the latter and find the date with cloudless weather, so clouds don't interfere with your night of astrophotography.
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Find out when objects are well-placed for your location. In Sky Tonight, tap the magnifier icon at the bottom. Enter the name of the object you're interested in and tap the target icon next to the corresponding search result. When the app shows you the object's location, use the panel at the top to scroll through time and determine the best time to take the picture.
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Set up a frame. Determine the apparent distance between the Moon and the planet and find their altitude using Sky Tonight. Next, define a rectangle large enough to fit everything you want in the frame, but leave yourself some room. Then use a field of view calculator to find the right lens size for the coverage.
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Bring something else into the shot. It could be a tree or a small house, depending on your surroundings. Here is an example of how a target in the foreground improves a shot. Use the AR mode in Sky Tonight to superimpose the image of the night sky on your background. Tap the big blue button on the main screen for this.
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Use a tripod. It will help your camera to stay still and take several pictures from the same angle.
Planets next to the Moon in June 2026
Here is a quick table of all the planets the Moon passes nearby in June 2026.
| Date | Event | Where/when to look | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 9 | Moon near Neptune | Low above the eastern horizon before sunrise; Neptune requires a small telescope | 🟡 Moderate |
| June 10 | Moon near Saturn | Above the eastern horizon about an hour before sunrise | 🟡 Moderate |
| June 12 | Moon near Mars | Low above the eastern horizon shortly before sunrise | 🟡 Moderate |
| June 13 | Moon near Uranus | Very low above the eastern horizon in morning twilight; Uranus lost in the Sun’s glare | ⚫ Not visible |
| June 16 | Moon near Mercury | Low above the western horizon after sunset | 🟡 Moderate |
| June 17 | Moon near Jupiter | Above the western horizon after sunset | 🟢 Good |
| June 17 | Moon near Venus | Low above the western horizon in evening twilight; daytime/twilight occultation in some locations | 🟢 Good |
June 9: Moon near Neptune
- Close approach time: 15:32 GMT
- Close approach distance: 3°57′
- Conjunction time: 19:13 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 4°28′
On June 9, the waning crescent Moon will appear close to Neptune (mag 7.9) in the constellation Pisces. Look for them low above the eastern horizon before local sunrise. Neptune will require a small telescope to spot. Nearby, you will also see Saturn (mag 0.9) and, depending on your location, Mars (mag 1.3) — both visible to the naked eye.
June 10: Moon near Saturn
- Close approach time: 06:50 GMT
- Close approach distance: 5°32′
- Conjunction time: 11:41 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 6°11′
On June 10, the waning crescent Moon will appear near Saturn (mag 0.9) in the constellation Pisces. Look for them in the morning, above the eastern horizon, about an hour before sunrise. Mars (mag 1.3) will also be visible nearby. A small telescope will reveal faint Neptune (mag 7.9) south of the Moon if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere and north of it if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere.
| City | Best time (local) | Separation | Altitude, Moon / Saturn |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, United States | Jun 10, 3:16 AM EDT | 4.7° | 14° / 10° |
| Los Angeles, United States | Jun 10, 3:10 AM PDT | 5.3° | 13° / 10° |
| London, United Kingdom | Jun 10, 3:56 AM BST | 5.1° | 19° / 14° |
| Toronto, Canada | Jun 10, 3:39 AM EDT | 4.7° | 14° / 10° |
| Lagos, Nigeria | Jun 10, 4:45 AM WAT | 5.3° | 39° / 35° |
| Nairobi, Kenya | Jun 10, 6:03 AM EAT | 5.7° | 61° / 58° |
| Johannesburg, South Africa | Jun 10, 5:08 AM SAST | 5.9° | 42° / 42° |
| Singapore | Jun 10, 6:35 AM SGT | 6.9° | 64° / 58° |
| Sydney, Australia | Jun 10, 6:28 AM AEST | 8.1° | 49° / 50° |
| Auckland, New Zealand | Jun 10, 7:00 AM NZST | 8.8° | 47° / 48° |
June 12: Moon near Mars
- Close approach time: 18:25 GMT
- Close approach distance: 5°23′
- Conjunction time: 21:15 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 5°38′
On June 12, the thin crescent Moon will appear near Mars (mag 1.3) in the constellation Aries. Look for them in the morning, low above the eastern horizon, shortly before sunrise. Saturn (mag 0.9) will be visible farther away in the same part of the morning sky. The Pleiades star cluster in Taurus will also be nearby and very low above the horizon; the Moon will pass even closer to the Pleiades and Uranus on June 13. You’ll have the best chance to see the scene with a clear eastern to northeastern horizon, more likely from the Southern Hemisphere.
| City | Best time (local) | Separation | Altitude, Moon / Mars |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, United States | Jun 12, 4:51 AM EDT | 6.9° | 20° / 14° |
| Los Angeles, United States | Jun 12, 5:11 AM PDT | 5.6° | 22° / 17° |
| Toronto, Canada | Jun 12, 4:59 AM EDT | 6.8° | 18° / 12° |
| Lagos, Nigeria | Jun 13, 5:21 AM WAT | 8.5° | 10° / 15° |
| Nairobi, Kenya | Jun 13, 5:16 AM EAT | 7.7° | 10° / 15° |
| Johannesburg, South Africa | Jun 13, 5:51 AM SAST | 8.7° | 10° / 18° |
| Singapore | Jun 13, 5:31 AM SGT | 5.9° | 10° / 11° |
| Sydney, Australia | Jun 13, 5:37 AM AEST | 6.0° | 10° / 14° |
| Auckland, New Zealand | Jun 13, 6:10 AM NZST | 5.9° | 10° / 14° |
June 13: Moon near Uranus
- Close approach time: 17:30 GMT
- Close approach distance: 5°11′
- Conjunction time: 19:09 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 5°18′
On June 13, the very thin waning crescent Moon will appear near Uranus (mag 5.8) in the constellation Taurus. This event will be very difficult to observe, as both objects will be close to the Sun. You may be able to spot the Moon’s thin crescent low above the eastern horizon in the morning twilight, but Uranus will be lost in the glare and will most likely remain invisible. The Pleiades star cluster will also be nearby — in fact, the Moon will pass less than 1° from it — but the cluster will also be extremely hard to see in bright twilight.
June 16: Moon near Mercury
- Conjunction time: 19:32 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 2°32′
- Close approach time: 20:26 GMT
- Close approach distance: 2°35′
On June 16, the thin waxing crescent Moon will pass close to Mercury (mag 0.6) in the constellation Gemini. The pair will be very low above the western horizon after sunset. Around this time, a beautiful evening scene will unfold: the Moon and Mercury will be joined by Venus and Jupiter, with the three planets forming a loose line in the twilight sky. Jupiter will be closest to the Moon early on June 17, while Venus will make an even closer approach later the same day. The bright stars Castor and Pollux in Gemini will also be nearby.
| City | Best time (local) | Separation | Altitude, Moon / Mercury |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, United States | Jun 16, 9:02 PM EDT | 2.7° | 14° / 11° |
| Los Angeles, United States | Jun 16, 8:35 PM PDT | 4.0° | 17° / 13° |
| Lagos, Nigeria | Jun 16, 7:55 PM WAT | 3.0° | 10° / 11° |
| Nairobi, Kenya | Jun 16, 7:20 PM EAT | 4.2° | 10° / 13° |
| Johannesburg, South Africa | Jun 16, 5:52 PM SAST | 4.6° | 10° / 15° |
| Singapore | Jun 16, 7:45 PM SGT | 6.6° | 10° / 16° |
| Sydney, Australia | Jun 17, 5:20 PM AEST | 6.4° | 16° / 13° |
| Auckland, New Zealand | Jun 17, 5:40 PM NZST | 5.6° | 14° / 12° |
Learn more: June mini planetary alignment of Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter
June 17: Moon near Jupiter
- Conjunction time: 06:51 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 2°36′
- Close approach time: 07:58 GMT
- Close approach distance: 2°27′
On June 17, the crescent Moon will appear close to Jupiter (mag –1.8) in the constellation Gemini. Look for them after sunset above the western horizon. Jupiter will be easy to spot with the naked eye, while the Moon’s thin crescent may be more challenging in bright twilight. Nearby, the bright stars Castor and Pollux will also be visible. Mercury will lie lower in the same part of the sky, and brilliant Venus will shine farther along the line — later that day, the Moon will pass extremely close to Venus.
| City | Best time (local) | Separation | Altitude, Moon / Jupiter |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, United States | Jun 16, 9:24 PM EDT | 4.9° | 10° / 11° |
| Los Angeles, United States | Jun 16, 9:13 PM PDT | 3.4° | 10° / 11° |
| Toronto, Canada | Jun 16, 9:54 PM EDT | 4.5° | 10° / 11° |
| Lagos, Nigeria | Jun 17, 7:25 PM WAT | 5.9° | 30° / 25° |
| Nairobi, Kenya | Jun 17, 6:57 PM EAT | 4.6° | 29° / 25° |
| Johannesburg, South Africa | Jun 17, 5:49 PM SAST | 4.9° | 23° / 21° |
| Singapore | Jun 17, 7:34 PM SGT | 2.7° | 27° / 25° |
| Sydney, Australia | Jun 17, 6:02 PM AEST | 3.0° | 10° / 12° |
| Auckland, New Zealand | Jun 17, 6:10 PM NZST | 3.6° | 10° / 13° |
June 17: Moon near Venus
- Conjunction time: 20:20 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 0°17′
- Close approach time: 20:29 GMT
- Close approach distance: 0°16′
- Occultation start: 18:15 GMT
- Occultation end: 22:28 GMT
On June 17, the thin waxing crescent Moon will pass extremely close to Venus (mag –4.0) in the constellation Cancer. Look for them low above the western horizon in the evening twilight. Brilliant Venus will be easy to spot even from a light-polluted city, and the Moon’s crescent will make the scene especially beautiful. Nearby, Jupiter, Mercury, Castor, and Pollux will add to the evening lineup.
| City | Best time (local) | Separation | Altitude, Moon / Venus |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, United States | Jun 17, 9:03 PM EDT | 2.1° | 22° / 21° |
| Los Angeles, United States | Jun 17, 8:35 PM PDT | 3.4° | 26° / 25° |
| London, United Kingdom | Jun 17, 10:08 PM BST | 0.6° | 13° / 13° |
| Toronto, Canada | Jun 17, 9:37 PM EDT | 2.5° | 20° / 19° |
| Lagos, Nigeria | Jun 17, 8:55 PM WAT | 1.2° | 10° / 11° |
| Nairobi, Kenya | Jun 17, 8:23 PM EAT | 2.7° | 10° / 13° |
| Johannesburg, South Africa | Jun 17, 7:06 PM SAST | 2.9° | 10° / 13° |
| Singapore | Jun 17, 8:49 PM SGT | 5.3° | 10° / 15° |
| Sydney, Australia | Jun 18, 5:21 PM AEST | 5.4° | 27° / 24° |
| Auckland, New Zealand | Jun 18, 5:40 PM NZST | 4.5° | 25° / 22° |
In some locations, the Moon will pass in front of Venus, creating a lunar occultation. The event will be visible from the contiguous United States, Canada, and Mexico, mostly in daytime, and from parts of Brazil and Venezuela around evening or twilight. But don’t worry — both Venus and the thin crescent Moon are bright enough to be visible in the daylight sky (assuming you have clear skies).
The best time for observations is just before or just after the occultation. Note that the exact times vary by location — for example, in New York, USA, the lunar occultation of Venus will start at 15:53 EDT and end at 17:10 EDT.
| Location | Occultation starts | Occultation ends | Visibility conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto, Canada | 3:40 PM EDT | 4:58 PM EDT | Daytime |
| San Francisco, USA | 11:33 AM PDT | 12:45 PM PDT | Daytime |
| New York, USA | 3:53 PM EDT | 5:10 PM EDT | Daytime |
| Tijuana, Mexico | 11:44 AM PDT | 12:43 PM PDT | Daytime |
| Cancún, Mexico | 3:30 PM EST | 3:48 PM EST | Daytime; short event |
| San Juan, Puerto Rico | 4:45 PM AST | 6:03 PM AST | Late afternoon / early evening |
| Caracas, Venezuela | 5:10 PM VET | 6:07 PM VET | Late afternoon / early evening |
| Recife, Brazil | 6:52 PM BRT | 7:43 PM BRT | Night; low above the horizon |
To find the timing for your area, open the Sky Tonight app, go to the Calendar, and check the event details.
What planet is closest to the Moon in the sky: Bottom line
Now you know what those bright dots near the Moon are. To view the planets and stars near our natural satellite, choose a cloudless night and use Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight to learn when the celestial objects are best placed for your location. For a visual explanation, watch our recently released video on how to identify bright objects near the Moon using the Sky Tonight app, step by step.
Here, you can learn about past conjunctions of the Moon and planets:
- Moon-planet conjunctions 2022;
- Moon-planet conjunctions 2023;
- Moon-planet conjunctions 2024;
- Moon-planet conjunctions 2025.
- Moon-planet conjunctions 2026.
Wishing you clear skies and happy observations!
