Planet parade June 2026: How and when to see the Moon, Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury dance across the night sky

Prepare for a celestial spectacle as the Moon aligns with three planets this week, offering a rare evening viewing opportunity. On June 17th, Indians can witness the slender crescent Moon near the bright planet Venus, with a chance for a lunar occultation of Venus. This is the prime time to observe these planets before Jupiter fades from view.

Skygazers are in for a treat as the celestial bodies are ready to put up a show once again. For thousands of years, people have stepped outside at dusk to watch these slow, silent dances happen mesmerisingly overhead.This week, the heavens are lining up for one of those moments, and the Moon will be in alignment with some more celestial bodies right after sunset.

Representative Image (Photo: Canva)

Moon will join the mesmerising planetary parade

This week brings a rare chance to see three planets and a slender crescent Moon clustered together in the early evening sky. According to BBC Sky at Night Magazine, the Moon is joining the ongoing planet parade, and some lucky observers will even catch a rare daylight lunar occultation of Venus on 17 June, when the planet briefly slips behind the Moon.The timing of this event is quite important as Venus and Jupiter were at their closest this year on 9 June, and the two are now drifting apart. As the magazine notes, Venus’s position is improving while Jupiter’s visibility is worsening. The giant planet is sliding toward the same patch of sky as the Sun, and by the end of June 2026, it will be hard to spot. So this week is just the moment to look.

What all planetary bodies will be visible in the night sky?

On 15 June, the three planets were lined up nearly in a straight pattern, low in the northwest just after sunset. According to BBC Sky at Night Magazine, Mercury was closest to the horizon, with Jupiter above and to its left, and Venus above Jupiter.On the evening of 16 June, a very thin crescent Moon will appear beside a dim Mercury, low in the west-northwest. Because both are faint and lost in the horizon glow, so you can take assistance from a much brighter Venus and Jupiter to lead your eye down toward them.By the evening of 17 June, the crescent Moon will move a bit to sit near Venus, which is also the brightest object in the night sky. Indians can view this conjunction of the heavenly bodies on the evening of the 17th.