Look to the western horizon at sunset on Feb. 20 to witness an incredible sight, as three planets shine below the slender crescent of the waxing moon, with Jupiter glowing high overhead in the winter sky.
The upturned sickle-shape of the 18%-lit moon will appear 40 degrees above the horizon as the sun sets, with a string of bright “evening stars” representing Venus, Mercury and Saturn arrayed beneath, fighting for attention in the glow of the setting sun.
Saturn will be positioned 15 degrees directly below the crescent moon, with Mercury less than 10 degrees— roughly the width of your clenched fist held at arm’s length — to its lower right. Mercury is currently in prime viewing position, having just passed its point of greatest eastern elongation on Feb. 19, when it was at its furthest from the sun in Earth‘s sky in its current evening apparition.
Find a spot with a clear view to the west for a chance to see Venus shining directly below Mercury, less than 10 degrees above the horizon at sunset. Neptune will also be present less than 1 degree — approximately the width of your little finger — to the right of Saturn, though it’ll be too dim to spot with the naked eye.
Neptune is so distant that the blue spec of its disk can only be seen with the aid of an 8-inch telescope, but utmost care must be taken to ensure that the sun is well below the horizon before pointing any telescopic equipment in its direction.
Uranus, meanwhile, will be five degrees below the Pleiades on Feb. 20 and while technically just bright enough to spot with the naked eye from a dark sky location, the planet will also benefit from the magnifying power of a telescope to spot its tiny aqua disk.
Jupiter dominates the sky this time of year and can be found high in the east at sunset, glowing with the bright stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini. A 6-inch telescope will reveal details in the cloud bands lining its surface, along with its four largest moons, Io, Ganymede, Europa and Callisto.
The lunar crescent will also make for a fascinating telescopic target, just three days out from its new moon phase on Feb. 17. Look out for the dark forms of Mare Crisium and Mare Fecunditatis darkening the sunlit wedge of Earth’s satellite, which formed when ancient lava flows flooded networks of impact craters before hardening many millions of years ago.
Next, sweep your telescope across the line separating night from day on the lunar surface — known as the terminator — to spot a myriad of shadowed impact craters scarring the lunar surface.
Want to explore the planets of the solar system for yourself? Then be sure to read our roundup of the best telescopes available in 2026. If you’re into photography you’ll want to peruse our picks of the best cameras and lenses for capturing the night sky.
Editor’s Note: If you would like to share your planetary astrophotography with Space.com’s readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
