In pictures – last night's Venus and crescent Moon meeting stuns in images captured around the world

In pictures – last night's Venus and crescent Moon meeting stuns in images captured around the world

Images of the conjunction of bright planet Venus and the crescent Moon captured on 17 June 2026 by photographers around the world

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Paolo Barrella sent us this image of Venus and the crescent Moon captured from Scandicci, Florence, Italy, 17 June 2026. 23:02 local time. Paolo says: "This image shows a beautiful crescent Moon — with Earthshine clearly visible on its dark limb — in close conjunction with the bright planet Venus, framed by the lattice structure of a construction crane. "The juxtaposition of the industrial foreground and the delicate lunar crescent creates, I feel, a rather striking contrast." © Paolo Barrella. Equipment: Canon EOS 1300D DSLR camera, Canon EF-S 55–250mm lens, f/4–5.6 IS STM @ 135 mm Exposure: ISO 800, f/5.0, 3.2 s
Paolo Barrella sent us this image of Venus and the crescent Moon captured from Scandicci, Florence, Italy, 17 June 2026. 23:02 local time. Paolo says: "This image shows a beautiful crescent Moon — with Earthshine clearly visible on its dark limb — in close conjunction with the bright planet Venus, framed by the lattice structure of a construction crane. "The juxtaposition of the industrial foreground and the delicate lunar crescent creates, I feel, a rather striking contrast." © Paolo Barrella. Equipment: Canon EOS 1300D DSLR camera, Canon EF-S 55–250mm lens, f/4–5.6 IS STM @ 135 mm Exposure: ISO 800, f/5.0, 3.2 s

Iain Todd

If you were lucky enough to have clear skies on 17 June 2026, you may have noticed a beautiful meeting of the planet Venus and the crescent Moon in the early evening sky.

Venus and the thin lunar crescent were visible just after sunset in the western sky.

The conjunction of Venus and the Moon followed a close meeting of Venus and Jupiter on 9 June 2026, marking Venus as one of the best planets to see throughout the month.

More amazing astrophotography

The Strawberry Moon captured by Taran Sohal over Byron Bay Lighthouse, New South Wales, Australia, 11 June 2025, 16:41 local time. Equipment: Sony A7 IV camera, Sony 200-600mm f/5.6 lens, Sirui tripod. Exposure: Single exposure at f/11, ISO 320, shutter 1/100. Processing: Adobe Photoshop 2025
Credit: Taran Sohal

Venus is often referred to as the Evening Star because, at its best, it appears like the brightest star in the sky, visible just after sunset in the early evening.

That's certainly been the case in June 2026, as Venus has been an absolute joy to see at dusk in the western sky.

Here are some of the best images we've received of the conjunction of Venus and the crescent Moon on 17 June 2026 captured by photographers around the world.

A fabulous view of Venus and the crescent Moon captured by Arash Sefidgaran from Mitcham, London, UK, 17 June 2026 Equipment: Nikon Z6II camera, Sigma 150-600mm at 150mm, Sirui tripod Exposure: ISO 2500, f/8, 1/6s Software: Lightroom
A fabulous view of Venus and the crescent Moon captured by Arash Sefidgaran from Mitcham, London, UK, 17 June 2026. Equipment: Nikon Z6II camera, Sigma 150-600mm at 150mm, Sirui tripod. Exposure: ISO 2500, f/8, 1/6s. Software: Lightroom
Helene Saskia Bazuin captured this view of Venus and the Moon on 17 June 2026 from the Netherlands, 23:00 local time, using an iPhone
Helene Saskia Bazuin captured this view of Venus and the Moon on 17 June 2026 from the Netherlands, 23:00 local time, using an iPhone
Thanks to Laurel Robertson for sending us this brilliant image of Venus and the crescent Moon captured in the night sky near Ghent University, Belgium, 17 June 2026 with a One Plus 15 smartphone.
Thanks to Laurel Robertson for sending us this brilliant image of Venus and the crescent Moon captured in the night sky near Ghent University, Belgium, 17 June 2026 with a One Plus 15 smartphone
Paolo Barrella sent us this image of Venus and the crescent Moon captured from Scandicci, Florence, Italy, 17 June 2026. 23:02 local time. Paolo says: "This image shows a beautiful crescent Moon — with Earthshine clearly visible on its dark limb — in close conjunction with the bright planet Venus, framed by the lattice structure of a construction crane. "The juxtaposition of the industrial foreground and the delicate lunar crescent creates, I feel, a rather striking contrast." © Paolo Barrella. Equipment: Canon EOS 1300D DSLR camera, Canon EF-S 55–250mm lens, f/4–5.6 IS STM @ 135 mm Exposure: ISO 800, f/5.0, 3.2 s
Paolo Barrella sent us this image of Venus and the crescent Moon captured from Scandicci, Florence, Italy, 17 June 2026. 23:02 local time. Equipment: Canon EOS 1300D DSLR camera, Canon EF-S 55–250mm lens, f/4–5.6 IS STM @ 135 mm. Exposure: ISO 800, f/5.0, 3.2 s. © Paolo Barrella.
Giovanni Passalacqua captured this amazing view of Venus, Jupiter, Mercury and the crescent Moon at sunset from Chiaramonte, Sicily, Italy, 17 June 2026, 21:30 local time. Equipment: Canon EOS R DSLR camera, Sigma 53mm lens, Manfrotto tripod Exposure: ISO 200, f/3.5, 5s Software: Photoshop
Giovanni Passalacqua captured this amazing view of Venus, Jupiter, Mercury and the crescent Moon at sunset from Chiaramonte, Sicily, Italy, 17 June 2026, 21:30 local time. Equipment: Canon EOS R DSLR camera, Sigma 53mm lens, Manfrotto tripod. Exposure: ISO 200, f/3.5, 5s. Software: Photoshop
A close-up shot of Venus and the crescent Moon captured by James M from Ryetop Playing Fields, Rainham, Kent, UK, 17 June 2026, 22:50 local time. Jame says: "The tiny white dot above the Moon is the magnitude +5.3 star Eta Cancri." Equipment: Panasonic DMC-TZ60 camera Exposure: ISO 1600, f/6.4, 1/6s, Software: Photoshop
A close-up shot of Venus and the crescent Moon captured by James M from Ryetop Playing Fields, Rainham, Kent, UK, 17 June 2026, 22:50 local time. James says: "The tiny white dot above the Moon is the magnitude +5.3 star Eta Cancri." Equipment: Panasonic DMC-TZ60 camera. Exposure: ISO 1600, f/6.4, 1/6s. Software: Photoshop
Venus, the crescent Moon and beautiful oleanders in bloom! This image was captured by Marco Meniero from Civitavecchia, Roma, Italy, 17 June 2026 at 21:45 local time. Equipment: FUJIFILM GFX 100S II camera, Fuji GF500/5.6 lens Exposure: ISO 800, 2s – fusion of two shots with the same technical data but different focus points
Venus, the crescent Moon and beautiful oleanders in bloom! This image was captured by Marco Meniero from Civitavecchia, Roma, Italy, 17 June 2026 at 21:45 local time. Equipment: FUJIFILM GFX 100S II camera, Fuji GF500/5.6 lens. Exposure: ISO 800, 2s – fusion of two shots with the same technical data but different focus points
Paolo Palma captured this view of Venus and the crescent Moon over the statue of on the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome, Italy. Paolo says: "The statue, with a lion at its feet and a quill in its hands, is that of St Jerome, situated at the top of the façade of the Basilica of St John Lateran. "His gaze of wonder, directed towards the book he holds in his hands, seems perfectly in line with the two celestial bodies, as if marvelling at their beauty."
Paolo Palma captured this view of Venus and the crescent Moon over the statue of on the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome, Italy, 17 June 2026
From North America, last night's conjunction of Venus and the crescent Moon resulted in a lunar occultation of Venus, where the Moon passed in front of the planet. Sonali Deshmukh captured this view of the occultation egress from Omaha, USA, 17 June 2026. Equipment: Canon EOS RP DSLR camera, Tamron 150-600mm lens Exposure: ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/2000
From North America, the 17 June 2026 conjunction of Venus and the crescent Moon resulted in a lunar occultation of Venus, where the Moon passed in front of the planet. Sonali Deshmukh captured this view of the occultation egress from Omaha, USA, 17 June 2026. Equipment: Canon EOS RP DSLR camera, Tamron 150-600mm lens. Exposure: ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/2000

Did you capture an image of the Venus–crescent Moon conjunction on 17 June 2026, or have you been out photographing the planets this month? Share your images with us by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com

Author avatar

Iain Todd

Science journalist

Iain Todd is BBC Sky at Night Magazine's Content Editor who has been writing about astronomy and space science for over a decade. He has covered major stargazing events, space launches and the latest news in cosmology, astrophysics, planetary and space science.
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