View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Andreas Vasssiliou in Artemis, Attica, Greece, captured this photo of the moon together with Mercury and Venus on May 14, 2021, and wrote: “Moon, Mercury and Venus conjunction at Green Hill, Artemis.” Thank you, Andreas!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Nancy Tompkins in Prescott, Arizona, captured this photo of the moon together with Venus and Mercury on May 12, 2021, and wrote: “With the moon at only 1% illumination I first found Venus in the sky after the sun set. High above them both was Mars [sic].” Thank you, Nancy!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Alexander Krivenyshev in Newport, Rhode Island, captured this photo of the moon together with Mercury and Venus on May 13, 2021, and wrote: “The crescent moon hangs high after the earlier passing of Venus and the conjunction with Mercury.” Thank you, Alexander!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | James Trezza in Mt. Sinai, New York, captured this photo of the moon together with Mercury and Venus on May 13, 2021, and wrote: “The waxing crescent moon, 4.5% illuminated, setting next to Mercury, with Venus about to set at the bottom!” Thank you, James!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Ragini Chaturvedi in Marlboro, New Jersey, captured this photo on May 13, 2021, and wrote: “… today’s sliver of the crescent moon, along with Mercury on its side, and Venus below by the horizon. Twilight magic.” Thank you, Ragini!
The following video is a time-lapse of the moon and Mercury in conjunction, by Alessandro Marchini at the Astronomical Observatory, University of Siena, Italy. It was taken on the evening of May 13, 2021, before the duo set behind the clouds over the western horizon. Thank you, Alessandro!
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Greg Redfern captured this photo and wrote: “The 2.0 day old, 4.3% illuminated waxing crescent moon was awash with Da Vinci glow when it joined Mercury in the western sky in central Virginia on May 13, 2021.” Thank you, Greg!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Amit Raka in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India, captured this photo on May 13, 2021, and wrote: “Today’s evening sky had an amazing view of Mercury and the moon with evening colors in the sky. Mercury was almost +11°15′ above the horizon and the crescent moon was illuminated to 2.6%. A very faint star near top-right of the moon is from the Taurus constellation. The moon and Mercury were approximately 3° apart.” Thank you, Amit!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Prateek Pandey in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, captured this photo on May 13, 2021, and wrote: “The Twilight Trio: moon, Mercury and Venus (Venus below & Mercury above, to the right of the moon).” Thank you, Prateek!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Vermont Coronel Jr. in Quezon City, the Philippines, captured this photo of the young crescent moon and both Venus (bottom) and Mercury (top right) on May 13, 2021, and wrote: “Mercury together with a 2 day old moon and Venus. I wasn’t able to view yesterday’s conjunction of the moon and Venus as the moon was blocked from my view by the building to the left.” Thank you, Vermont!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Vidyacharan HR in Hillsboro, Oregon, caught the slim crescent moon and Venus on May 12, 2021, and wrote: “I was driving around the town looking nice spot around the sunset hoping moon will appear. But it did not until I decided to give up and return home. Venus is seen alongside the young crescent moon (waxing ~2%). I am glad not to miss the scene.” Thank you, Vidyacharan!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Eliot Herman in Tucson, Arizona, wrote of his May 12, 2021, capture: “As the light faded the thin crescent moon and Venus were easy to spot. Bright Venus just below provided a guide. The close pair were visible in the fading light for about 20 minutes and then gone, following the sun below the horizon.” Thank you, Eliot!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | James Trezza in Cedar Beach-Mount Sinai, New York, captured this photo of the young crescent moon and Venus on May 12, 2021. He wrote: “The young waxing crescent moon, only 1.4%, setting over Long Island Sound, right next to Venus! With Connecticut in the distance.” Thank you, James!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Alexander Krivenyshev in Newport, Rhode island, captured this photo of the thin crescent moon and Venus on May 12, 2021. He wrote: “Despite occasional rain showers and partly cloudy skies, Venus and a thin crescent moon (only 1.2% illumination) reveal themselves in their closest conjunction of the year over the Newport (Pell) Bridge, Rhode island.” Thank you, Alexander!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Steven Bellavia in Southold, New York, wrote: “1.2% waxing crescent moon and 97.7% waning gibbous Venus, May 12, 2021. 8:46PM EDT.” Thank you, Steven!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Steven Sweet in Port Credit, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, wrote: “I watched the sunset and then waited for Venus to pop into the sky. Around 25 minutes later, I found Venus and could see a 1.2% illuminated moon beside the planet.” Thank you, Steven!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Greg Redfern in central Virginia wrote on May 12: “Venus just under a degree from the 30-hour-old 1.2% illuminated waxing crescent moon. The image was highly processed to bring out the lunar surface features.” Thank you, Greg!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | David Hoskin in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, wrote on May 12: “Venus greets the young moon! I captured this image of Venus and the waxing crescent moon (only 1.3% illuminated) just as dark clouds were moving in and the moon was sinking towards the horizon.” Thank you, David!
Bottom line: Photos from May 12, 13, 2021, of the young moon and planets Venus and Mercury.
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.
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