Venus and Jupiter meet June 9, 2026, and Mercury joins June 11–15, creating a visible planet parade across the U.S. Here’s when to look, where to look after sunset, and what to know about the moon’s waning phase and visibility without a telescope.
Two bright planets have already been holding court in the night sky this week—Venus and Jupiter.
Then, like a third act stepping into the spotlight, Mercury is set to join them. If you’re the kind of person who pauses outside when the sky looks unusually clear. this is the week to do it again. The lineup is happening for the next stretch of nights in June. and it’s timed in a way that makes it easier to spot—at least if you’re willing to look west after sunset.
Venus and Jupiter meet June 9, 2026, and Mercury joins June 11–15
Venus and Jupiter are scheduled to meet on June 9, 2026, in what astronomers call a conjunction—when two planets appear close together from Earth’s perspective even though they can still be millions or billions of miles apart.
Mercury arrives later. NASA’s monthly skywatching guide says the three-planet “planet parade” should be visible between Thursday, June 11 and Monday, June 15.
The show is driven by what’s visible to the naked eye
Venus is one of the brightest objects in the sky after the sun, and Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. Seeing those two together isn’t unheard of. What makes this particular stretch stand out is Mercury.
Mercury takes 88 days to orbit the sun, and it’s often trickier to catch from Earth. In this window, it becomes the piece that turns a two-planet meeting into a three-planet run.
NASA points out that while at least one planet is typically visible to the naked eye, spotting multiple planets at once is a more uncommon moment—something that tends to draw excitement precisely because it’s not every day your sky puts three recognizable worlds on display.
What a “planet parade” means
The term “planet parade” isn’t an official astronomy label, but it’s a common shorthand for a specific kind of alignment. NASA describes how planets orbit the sun in a disc-shaped plane in the sky called the ecliptic.
A planet parade happens when planets line up along the ecliptic in a straight line and appear to march across the night sky as seen from Earth. The alignment itself isn’t rare in an astronomical sense, but the chance to observe multiple planets at once is what makes stargazers pay attention.
The moon should not steal the spotlight
During the second week of June, the moon is set to enter a waning crescent phase, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. It will also be followed by a new moon on Sunday, June 14, as NASA explains.
That timing matters for viewers because the moon’s crescent gets thinner each night. In other words, Earth’s natural satellite should be losing brightness during the same period Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter are lining up—so it shouldn’t outshine the planets you came to see.
Where to look across the United States
For viewers in the Northern Hemisphere—which includes the United States—NASA says spotting the lineup shouldn’t be too difficult.
Look west after sunset to catch Mercury joining Venus and Jupiter. Mercury will sit lower toward the horizon, and NASA says you “will need a clear view to the west to catch it in the glow of twilight.”
To improve your odds, NASA recommends finding a spot with minimal light pollution and a horizon view without obstructions like trees or tall buildings.
If you’re searching for a darker area near you, DarkSky International—a U.S. nonprofit—maintains a list of designated dark sky communities. The list includes 176 communities in the United States.
Do you need a telescope?
You don’t need one to see the planets in this lineup. Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter are three of five planets in the solar system visible without optical aid, along with Mars and Saturn.
Telescopes can enhance the view, but NASA indicates spectators don’t need equipment to spot the three planets in the pre-dawn sky.
One simple. grounded takeaway ties it all together: Mercury is the late addition that makes the week feel like a multi-night event. and the best viewing setup—west after sunset. clear horizon. and darker skies—matches the fact that the moon will be fading during the same stretch from June 11 to June 15.
For anyone planning their evenings, the planning is clear: mark the days, head west, and try to catch the glow of twilight before the horizon line disappears under buildings and streetlights.
planet parade Mercury Venus Jupiter June 2026 NASA skywatching guide conjunction DarkSky International waning crescent new moon stargazing