Venus after sunset in August 2026

In August 2026, Venus – Earth’s brightest neighboring planet – will be shining in the western twilight after sunset. You can’t miss Venus! It’s exceedingly bright and will penetrate the bright twilight. It’ll remain visible in the evening sky through October. Greatest elongation – when Venus will reach its farthest distance from the sunset – is at 6 UTC on August 15, 2026. Venus will reach its greatest brilliancy in the evening sky on September 18, 2026.

As the 2nd planet in orbit (going outward from the sun), Venus is bound by an invisible tether to the sun in our sky. It’s always east before sunrise, or west after sunset (never overhead at midnight). Venus is the brightest planet visible from Earth and shines brilliantly throughout every morning or evening apparition. Greatest elongation happens when Venus is farthest from the sun on the sky’s dome.

For precise sun and Venus rising times at your location:

Old Farmer’s Almanac (U.S. and Canada)

timeanddate.com (worldwide)

Stellarium (free online planetarium program)

When will greatest elongation occur?

Greatest elongation will occur at 6 UTC on August 15, 2026 (1 a.m. CDT). Venus will be in our evening sky, in the west after sunset. At this elongation, the distance of Venus from the sun on the sky’s dome will be 46 degrees. Then, after greatest elongation, Venus will sink toward the sunset as it races toward its sweep between the Earth and sun around October 24, 2026.

Magnitude at greatest elongation: Venus will be shining at magnitude -4.4.

Through a telescope: Venus will appear 49% illuminated, near a first quarter phase, 24.48 arcseconds across.

2026 Venus finder charts

A comparison of elongations

Not all of Venus’ greatest elongations are created equal. That’s because the farthest from the sun that Venus can ever appear on the sky’s dome is about 47.3 degrees. On the other hand, the least distance is around 45.4 degrees.

Elongations are also higher or lower depending on the time of year they occur and your location on Earth.

More Venus evening elongation comparisons for 2026

Venus events in 2026

January 6, 2026: Superior conjunction (passed behind sun from Earth)

August 15, 2026: Greatest elongation (evening)

October 24, 2026: Inferior conjunction (races between Earth and sun)

January 3, 2027: Greatest elongation (morning)

Bottom line: Look for Venus after sunset! It’s high in the August evening sky for all to see. Look west for a dazzling point of light.