Catch the Moon's Daytime Veil Over Venus This Week

WHO:

Space.com - The event involves the Moon and Venus, two of the brightest natural objects in the sky.

ScienceAlert - The International Occultation Timing Association (IOTA) provides ingress/egress times for select locations.

WHAT:

Fast Company - The lunar occultation event is set to last about an hour and will be visible in about 48 states, as well as northeastern South America like Brazil and Venezuela, and parts of Canada.

Fast Company - The event is set to begin at 11:40 a.m. Pacific Time and around 4 p.m. Eastern Time.

Fast Company - The visibility of the lunar occultation will cross the contiguous US, visible from 18:33 through 21:26 Coordinated Universal Time.

ScienceAlert - The Moon will also occult the open star cluster Messier 44 (Praesepe) in the heart of the constellation Cancer just hours after the Venus event.

Space.com - The Moon will take 29 seconds to cover the 74 percent illuminated, 15″ disk of Venus, which shines at about -4th magnitude during the event.

ScienceAlert - The Moon is an 11 percent illuminated, waxing crescent as it approaches Venus.

ScienceAlert - The Moon will take 29 seconds to cover the 74 percent illuminated, 15″ disk of Venus.

ScienceAlert - The Moon will also occult the open star cluster Messier 44 (Praesepe) in the heart of the constellation Cancer just hours after the Venus event.

Space.com - A rare daytime occultation will occur, where a thin crescent Moon will pass directly in front of Venus.

ScienceAlert - The Moon will take 29 seconds to cover the 74 percent illuminated disk of Venus, which shines at about -4th magnitude during the event.

ScienceAlert - This is the first of three lunar occultations of Venus for 2026, with the other two occurring on September 14th and November 7th.

WHERE:

Space.com - The occultation will be visible over northeastern South America, the Caribbean, the contiguous United States (CONUS), northern Mexico, and southern Canada.

ScienceAlert - The event will be centered over the northeastern regions of the specified areas.

WHEN:

ScienceAlert - The other two lunar occultations of Venus will occur on September 14th in Southeast Asia and on November 7th at the southern tip of South America.

Space.com - The occultation occurs on June 17th, centered on 16:40 EDT (20:40 UTC).

ScienceAlert - The Moon passes New phase on June 15th and slides 2.5 degrees north northeast of Mercury on the evening of June 16th.

ScienceAlert - The other two lunar occultations of Venus will occur on September 14th and November 7th.

WHY:

ScienceAlert - This is one of the final favorable lunar occultations of Venus for the CONUS until 2029-2031.

ScienceAlert - It is rare to see the Moon and Venus meet in the daytime sky, especially with Venus being 38 degrees from the Sun.

HOW:

Fast Company - Experts suggest looking for shaded areas like beneath a building or a tree to avoid aiming directly toward the sun while viewing the event.

ScienceAlert - Observers are advised to use a deep blue high-contrast sky to help see Venus during the daytime occultation.

(UPDATED June 17, 2026 16:16 UTC)

A spectacular lunar occultation event is on the horizon, lasting about an hour and visible from around 48 states, parts of Canada, and northeastern South America, including Brazil and Venezuela. This celestial phenomenon is set to begin at 11:40 a.m. Pacific Time and around 4 p.m. Eastern Time, with visibility crossing the contiguous U.S. from 18:33 to 21:26 Coordinated Universal Time. Experts recommend finding shaded areas, like under a building or a tree, to enhance your viewing experience while avoiding direct sunlight.

(UPDATED June 17, 2026 06:41 UTC)

In an exciting astronomical event, the Moon will occult the open star cluster Messier 44, also known as Praesepe, just hours after it covers Venus, which will take 29 seconds to completely obscure its bright disk. This celestial phenomenon will take place at 20:12 UTC, and it marks one of the last favorable lunar occultations of Venus for the continental United States until 2029-2031. Looking ahead, the next two lunar occultations of Venus are scheduled for September 14 in Southeast Asia and November 7 at the southern tip of South America.

(UPDATED June 16, 2026 21:53 UTC)

The Moon, currently an 11 percent illuminated waxing crescent, is set to cover the 74 percent illuminated disk of Venus, which will last for 29 seconds. Just hours after this event, the Moon will also occult the open star cluster Messier 44, located in the constellation Cancer. Looking ahead, the next two lunar occultations of Venus will take place on September 14 in Southeast Asia and on November 7 at the southern tip of South America, marking one of the last favorable opportunities for viewing these events in the continental United States until 2029-2031.

(UPDATED June 16, 2026 20:12 UTC)

A rare daytime occultation will take place on June 17, when a thin crescent Moon passes directly in front of Venus, which shines brightly at about -4th magnitude. This event will be visible over northeastern South America, the Caribbean, the contiguous United States, northern Mexico, and southern Canada, with the Moon taking 29 seconds to cover 74 percent of Venus's illuminated disk. This is the first of three lunar occultations of Venus for 2026, with the next two scheduled for September 14 and November 7, and observers are encouraged to find a deep blue high-contrast sky to enhance their view of Venus during the event.