Venus, Jupiter and Regulus shining bright in the sky.

Brilliant Venus in west from dusk until mid-to-late evening. Venus – the brightest planet and third-brightest sky object overall (after the sun and moon) – reaches its greatest elongation in the western sky on June 6. That means it is at its farthest from the sun on our sky’s dome, for this evening apparition, during June 2015. Venus stays out for over three hours after sunset this month, as seen from around the world. What’s more, Venus gets closer to Jupiter all month, to stage a close conjunction on our sky’s dome by the month’s end.

Throughout June 2015, brilliant Venus beams like a lighthouse as darkness falls! At mid-northern latitudes, Venus stays out quite late, possibly after your bedtime. Be sure to catch the wonderful presence of the moon in Venus’ vicinity for several days, starting on June 18or June 19.

Venus – the brightest star-like object in all the heavens – dominates the western sky as darkness falls. However, you can’t miss another brilliant beauty – the planet Jupiter – above Venus in the evening sky.

Bright Jupiter from dusk until late evening. Jupiter and Venus will come closer and closer together on the sky’s dome throughout June, 2015. In late June and early July, Venus and Jupiter will stage their closest conjunction until August 27, 2016!

Once you see Jupiter at dusk or nightfall, you won’t mistake it for anything else – except, possibly, brighter Venus, which shines lower down than Jupiter in the west at evening twilight.

Jupiter shines more brilliantly than any star. It’s the second-brightest planet after Venus.

In early June 2015, Venus sets in the west at mid-to-late evening, leaving the king planet Jupiter to rule over the evening sky for an hour or two after Venus sets. In early June, at mid-northern latitudes, Jupiter sets in the west about 3.5 hours after sunset. By the end of June 2015, when the two planets are in conjunction, or nearly so, they’ll be setting at about the same time, about 2.5 hours after the sun.

Watch the moon as it swings in the vicinity of Venus and Jupiter for several days, starting onJune 18 or June 19.

NB: To see Regulus you will need to click on the second picture to see a larger version of the photograph on Flickr.

Three planets are clearly visible at nightfall this month: Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. Mercury is fading – whereas Mars has already disappeared – into the glare of sunset.

Evening planets in May 2015

Brilliant Venus in west from dusk until late evening

Fading Mars lost in the glare of sunset

Bright Jupiter from dusk until late night

Saturn from nightfall until dawn

Mercury at dusk, sets around nightfall

Brilliant Venus in west from dusk until late evening. Venus – the brightest planet and third-brightest celestial luminary overall (after the sun and moon) – climbs higher up at sunset, and stays out later after dark, than it did in April 2015. In the Northern Hemisphere, Venus stays out until late evening, and in the Southern Hemisphere, Venus sets by mid-evening.

Throughout May 2015, brilliant Venus beams like a lighthouse as darkness falls! At mid-northern latitudes, Venus stays out quite late, possibly after your bedtime. Be sure to catch the wonderful presence of the moon in Venus’ vicinity for several days, centered on May 21.

At mid-northern latitudes, this dazzling world sets about three and one-half hours after sunset all month long. At temperate latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, the queen planet’s visibility improves throughout May, setting about two and one-half hours after the sun in early May, and three hours after the sun by the month’s end. From either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, Venus – the brightest star-like object in all the heavens – totally predominates over the western sky as darkness falls.

NASA photo from Wiki.

The latest edition of  National Geographic Magazine has brought to my attention that on the 5th and 6th June Venus will align with the Earth and sun for the last time until 2117.  The transit will be visible over North America, Asia, Oceania and most of Europe.