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Venus Vanishes! Moon Covers Planet in Daylight
20 Jun
Summary
- A rare daytime lunar occultation occurred on June 17.
- The Moon passed directly in front of Venus, hiding it.
- The event was visible across much of North America.
A remarkable daytime skywatching event captivated observers on June 17 as Venus vanished behind the moon. This rare lunar occultation occurred when the Moon passed directly between Earth and Venus, temporarily obscuring the planet from view. The celestial phenomenon was visible across extensive areas, including the contiguous United States, southern Canada, northern Mexico, and parts of the Caribbean and South America.
Timelapse videos beautifully documented the moment the crescent moon obscured the shining spec of Venus. While lunar occultations happen regularly, it is far less common for the moon to align with a bright planet such as Venus. Despite Venus being significantly farther from Earth than the moon, the moon's apparent size in our sky allows it to completely cover the planet during these rare alignments.
