What Are Those Two Bright Stars In The West After Sunset?

InnovationScienceWhat Are Those Two Bright Stars In The West After Sunset?ByJamie Carter,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky.Follow AuthorMay 25, 2026, 05:28am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Jupiter and Venus create spectacle view as they appeard extremely close on March 2, 2023 (Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)NurPhoto via Getty ImagesWhat’s that bright star tonight? Anyone glancing toward the western horizon after sunset in late May and early June may notice two unusually bright “stars” shining close together in the twilight. They are not stars at all, but Venus and Jupiter — the two brightest planets in Earth’s night sky — slowly coming together in one of 2026’s most eye-catching celestial events.The planetary pairing (called a conjunction by astronomers) will peak on the evening of Tuesday, June 9, when the two worlds will appear exceptionally close above the western horizon. Visible without any special equipment, the conjunction is expected to become one of the year’s most photographed skywatching moments — and it’s already begun.Venus Will Steal The ShowLook west after sunset tonight, and you’ll see one really bright “star” lower down and another, slightly less bright, to its upper left. The latter is Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, but it’s the lower Venus that already dominates the view.During the conjunction on June 9, Venus will be roughly seven times brighter than Jupiter. Why is Venus so bright? Firstly, it’s far closer to Earth than Jupiter (about six times closer, in fact — and currently getting closer each night). Secondly, its dense cloud cover reflects a lot of sunlight.Throughout the summer, Venus will continue to shine prominently as the “Evening Star,” climbing higher into the twilight sky and reachin...