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 June 15 to June 21, 2026, the Moon will visit the constellations Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, and Virgo. From June 20 to 21, it may also briefly cross the official border of the faint constellation Sextans, depending on your location. This week, the most prominent objects near our natural satellite will be:
- June 16–17: planets Jupiter (mag –1.8) and Mercury (mag 0.6);
- June 17–18: planet Venus (mag –4.0);
- June 19–20: star Regulus (mag 1.4) from Leo.
The Moon will reach its first quarter phase on June 21, becoming more prominent in the night sky as the week progresses. Next week, on June 29, 2026, at 23:57 UTC/GMT, the Moon will reach its full phase. The June Full Moon is popularly known as Strawberry Moon.
From June 22 to June 28, 2026, the Moon will visit the constellations Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, and Ophiuchus. This week, the most prominent objects near our natural satellite will be:
The Moon will reach its full phase on June 29 and remain bright and easy to spot for several nights around the date.
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 July 2026
Here is a quick table of all the planets the Moon passes close to in July 2026.
| Date | Event | Where/when to look | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 6 | Moon near Neptune | Low above the eastern horizon after midnight; Neptune needs a small telescope | 🟡 Moderate |
| July 7 | Moon near Saturn | After midnight until sunrise; face east | 🟢 Good |
| July 11 | Moon near Uranus | Low above the eastern horizon before sunrise; binoculars or a telescope needed | 🟡 Moderate |
| July 11 | Moon near Mars | Low above the eastern horizon shortly before sunrise | 🟡 Moderate |
| July 14 | Moon near Mercury | Too close to the Sun | ⚫ Not visible |
| July 15 | Moon near Jupiter | Jupiter is too close to the Sun; the thin Moon may be low in the west in evening twilight | ⚫ Not visible |
| July 17 | Moon near Venus | Low above the western horizon in bright evening twilight | 🟢 Good |
July 6: Moon near Neptune
- Close approach time: 22:36 GMT
- Close approach distance: 4°13′
- Conjunction time: July 7, 02:37 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 4°46′
On July 6, the waning gibbous Moon will appear close to Neptune (mag 7.7) in the constellation Pisces. Look for them low above the eastern horizon after midnight. Neptune will require a small telescope to spot. Nearby, you will also see Saturn (mag 0.7), easily visible to the naked eye.
| City | Best time (local) | Separation | Altitude, Moon / Neptune |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | Jul 7, 01:21 AM BST | 3.5° | 13° / 10° |
| New York | Jul 7, 01:05 AM EDT | 5.2° | 12° / 10° |
| Los Angeles | Jul 7, 12:57 AM PDT | 6.6° | 10° / 10° |
| Lagos | Jul 7, 12:44 AM WAT | 4.0° | 11° / 10° |
| Singapore | Jul 7, 03:45 AM SGT | 4.1° | 53° / 51° |
| Delhi | Jul 7, 02:19 AM IST | 3.6° | 38° / 35° |
| Sydney | Jul 7, 06:31 AM AEST | 5.0° | 46° / 51° |
| Auckland | Jul 7, 07:03 AM NZST | 5.3° | 43° / 48° |
July 7: Moon near Saturn
- Close approach time: 16:31 GMT
- Close approach distance: 5°58′
- Conjunction time: 21:49 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 6°40′
On July 7, the Last Quarter Moon will appear near Saturn (mag 0.7) in the constellation Pisces. You can see them in the sky from about 1 a.m. local time until sunrise. Face towards the eastern horizon — the pair will climb higher in the morning. Mars (mag 1.4) will also rise above the horizon in the morning, shortly before sunrise. A small telescope will reveal faint Neptune (mag 7.9).
| City | Best time (local) | Separation | Altitude, Moon / Saturn |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | Jul 8, 01:40 AM BST | 7.0° | 14° / 10° |
| New York | Jul 7, 04:59 AM EDT | 6.8° | 50° / 45° |
| Los Angeles | Jul 7, 05:19 AM PDT | 5.9° | 59° / 53° |
| Lagos | Jul 8, 01:24 AM WAT | 7.6° | 10° / 12° |
| Singapore | Jul 8, 01:38 AM SGT | 5.7° | 11° / 10° |
| Delhi | Jul 8, 12:53 AM IST | 5.6° | 13° / 10° |
| Sydney | Jul 8, 12:52 AM AEST | 6.1° | 10° / 11° |
| Auckland | Jul 8, 01:33 AM NZST | 6.2° | 13° / 13° |
July 11: Moon near Uranus
- Close approach time: 05:33 GMT
- Close approach distance: 5°18′
- Conjunction time: 07:07 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 5°20′
On July 11, the thin crescent Moon will appear near Uranus (mag 5.8) in the constellation Taurus. This event will be difficult to observe, as both objects will be low above the horizon. To spot Uranus, you’ll need binoculars or a telescope.
Observers at lower latitudes, especially in parts of Asia, will have better viewing conditions, as there Uranus will climb higher before dawn. Mars (mag 1.4) and the Pleiades star cluster will also be nearby. Look for the objects low above the eastern horizon a couple of hours before sunrise.
| City | Best time (local) | Separation | Altitude, Moon / Uranus |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | Jul 11, 04:08 AM BST | 4.6° | 23° / 19° |
| New York | Jul 11, 03:28 AM EDT | 4.9° | 12° / 10° |
| Los Angeles | Jul 11, 03:36 AM PDT | 6.0° | 10° / 10° |
| Lagos | Jul 11, 04:11 AM WAT | 5.1° | 12° / 10° |
| Singapore | Jul 11, 06:40 AM SGT | 6.4° | 41° / 38° |
| Delhi | Jul 11, 05:02 AM IST | 5.8° | 38° / 33° |
| Sydney | Jul 11, 06:30 AM AEST | 7.8° | 25° / 26° |
| Auckland | Jul 11, 07:02 AM NZST | 8.4° | 23° / 25° |
July 11: Moon near Mars
- Close approach time: 13:23 GMT
- Close approach distance: 5°16′
- Conjunction time: 14:35 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 5°21′
On July 11, the thin crescent Moon will appear near Mars (mag 1.4) in the constellation Taurus. Look for them in the morning, low above the eastern horizon shortly before sunrise. Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation also known as the “Bull’s fiery eye”, will shine nearby. In some locations, Aldebaran, Mars, and the Moon will form a beautiful line in the sky.
Reddish Mars and orange Aldebaran may be easy to confuse. In the Northern Hemisphere, Mars will appear between Aldebaran and the Moon. In the Southern Hemisphere, Mars will be the reddish dot closest to the horizon. The easiest way to identify stars and planets is to use the free Sky Tonight app.
The Pleiades star cluster in Taurus will also be nearby. In some locations, the Moon will briefly pass in front of the cluster, making some of its stars seem to “vanish” for a while. This lunar occultation of the Pleiades will be visible across much of Asia, including the Middle East, Central Asia, India, China, Southeast Asia, and parts of Eastern Europe.
Observers with binoculars will also be able to spot Uranus (mag 5.8) in the same area of the sky. Earlier that day, the Moon will make a close approach to Uranus.
| City | Best time (local) | Separation | Altitude, Moon / Mars |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | Jul 11, 04:11 AM BST | 7.1° | 23° / 16° |
| New York | Jul 11, 05:02 AM EDT | 5.0° | 29° / 24° |
| Los Angeles | Jul 11, 03:55 AM PDT | 4.7° | 14° / 10° |
| Lagos | Jul 11, 06:15 AM WAT | 6.6° | 38° / 34° |
| Singapore | Jul 12, 05:20 AM SGT | 7.7° | 10° / 15° |
| Delhi | Jul 12, 03:43 AM IST | 7.7° | 10° / 13° |
| Sydney | Jul 12, 05:49 AM AEST | 7.5° | 10° / 17° |
| Auckland | Jul 12, 06:26 AM NZST | 7.0° | 10° / 17° |
July 14: Moon near Mercury
- Conjunction time: 04:36 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 8°27′
- Close approach time: 07:15 GMT
- Close approach distance: 8°14′
On July 14, the New Moon will pass close to Mercury (mag 5.4) in the constellation Gemini. Unfortunately, both objects will be too close to the Sun to be visible. Mercury will return to the morning sky by late July.
July 15: Moon near Jupiter
- Conjunction time: 03:03 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 2°00′
- Close approach time: 04:04 GMT
- Close approach distance: 1°53′
On July 15, the very thin crescent Moon will appear close to Jupiter (mag –1.8) in the constellation Cancer. Jupiter will be hidden in the Sun’s glare, but the lunar crescent may be visible low above the western horizon in evening twilight. Jupiter reaches conjunction with the Sun on July 29 and will return to the morning sky in August.
July 17: Moon near Venus
- Close approach time: 14:46 GMT
- Close approach distance: 1°47′
- Conjunction time: 16:31 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 2°00′
On July 17, the thin waxing crescent Moon will pass close to Venus (mag –4.2) in the constellation Leo. Look for them low above the western horizon in bright evening twilight. Brilliant Venus will be easy to spot even from a light-polluted city, and the Moon’s delicate crescent will make the scene especially beautiful.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the pair will remain above the horizon during the darker part of twilight. From these latitudes, observers may also see some other bright objects nearby, such as Regulus (mag 1.3) — the brightest star in Leo.
| City | Best time (local) | Separation | Altitude, Moon / Venus |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Jul 17, 08:55 PM EDT | 5.7° | 17° / 17° |
| Los Angeles | Jul 16, 09:03 PM PDT | 6.8° | 10° / 15° |
| Lagos | Jul 17, 07:27 PM WAT | 2.5° | 35° / 35° |
| Johannesburg | Jul 17, 05:59 PM SAST | 1.6° | 36° / 36° |
| Singapore | Jul 17, 09:13 PM SGT | 2.8° | 10° / 13° |
| Delhi | Jul 17, 08:44 PM IST | 2.6° | 10° / 12° |
| Sydney | Jul 17, 07:20 PM AEST | 4.2° | 10° / 14° |
| Auckland | Jul 17, 07:36 PM NZST | 5.0° | 10° / 14° |
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!
