See A ‘Planet Parade’ As Three Worlds Shine After Sunset This Weekend

BreakingInnovationScienceSee A ‘Planet Parade’ As Three Worlds Shine After Sunset This WeekendByJamie Carter,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky.Follow AuthorMay 22, 2026, 03:00am EDTToplineThis weekend is about a simple but satisfying alignment in the early evening sky. As the moon brightens and climbs higher after sunset, two planets — Jupiter and Venus — will be easy to see in the western sky. Look carefully, and you could also glimpse tiny Mercury, which is now rising higher into the sky with each passing night. Here’s everything you need to know about stargazing and planet-watching this weekend. Jupiter, Venus and Mercury will be on parade n the post-sunset night sky this week (artist's Illustration shows three exoplanets).gettyTimelineFriday, May 22The 45%-lit waxing crescent moon is now leaving the planets behind, tonight passing close to Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo.Saturday, May 23Look west just after sunset, and you’ll see Jupiter shining above a slightly brighter Venus, with dim Mercury close to the horizon. For the latter, you may need binoculars.Sunday, May 24There’s another chance to find Jupiter, Venus and Mercury, with a bonus observation of bright star Capella — the famous “Goat Star” from the constellation Auriga. It will form an equilateral triangle with Venus and Mercury.See Jupiter, Venus and Mercury, with Capella, on Sunday, May 24. Stellarium if (!window.cnxel) { window.cnxel = {}; window.cnxel.cmd = []; var iframe = document.createElement('iframe'); iframe.style.display = 'none'; iframe.onload = function() { var iframeDoc = iframe.contentWindow.document; var script = iframeDoc.createElement('script'); script.src = '//cd.elements.video/player.js?cid=62cec241-7d09-4462-afc2-f72f8d8ef40a'; script.setAttribute('defer', '1'); script.setAttribute('type', 'text/javascript'); iframeDoc.body.appendChild...