Spotlight Moon and Venus to align in uncommon conjunction. Here's how to see it Eric Lagatta USA Today May 18, 2026 May 18, 2026 0 × News 12 The moon pairs up with brilliant Venus in the western evening sky right after sunset on Monday night. Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save 7 Day Forecast Saturday 79° / 68° Sunday 85° / 69° Monday 89° / 69° Tuesday 89° / 71° Wednesday 87° / 65° Thursday 85° / 64° Friday 85° / 67° In April, NASA's Artemis II astronauts ventured near the moon and returned some stunning new photos of our closest celestial neighbor.kAm}@H[ E96 >@@? :D 23@FE E@ 92G6 >@C6 4@>A2?J 7@C @?6 ?:89E :? |2J[ 2?5 D<J82K6CD D9@F=5 62D:=J 36 23=6 E@ D66 :E]k^AmkAm'6?FD H:== ;@:? E96 >@@? |2J `g :? 2 4@D>:4 6G6?E <?@H? 2D 2 4@?;F?4E:@?] %96 >66E\FA AC6D6?ED DA64E2E@CD H:E9 2 C2C6 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ D66 2 A96?@>6?@? :? H9:49 2E =62DE EH@ 46=6DE:2= 3@5:6D 2AA62C 7C@> @FC G2?E286 @? t2CE9 E@ 36 ?62C @?6 2?@E96C]k^Am kAm%96 4@?;F?4E:@?[ H9:49 H:== 36 H:56=J G:D:3=6 24C@DD E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D 2?5 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5[ :D E96 =2E6DE E:>6 E92E '6?FD 2?5 E96 >@@? 92G6 925 2 C6?56KG@FD :? t2CE9VD D<J] '6?FD[ H9:49 :? |2C49 2AA62C65 H:E9 $2EFC?[ 2=D@ 7@C>65 2 4@?;F?4E:@? H:E9 E96 >@@? :? $6AE6>36C]k^Am People are also reading… North Carolina sets first elk hunt for 2027. Here's when it will be and who can participate This group of McDowell County 8-year-olds is competing in the Babe Ruth World Series How a Marine veteran bought a new home without paying a dollar in upfront closing costs Atrium pushes back after State Health Plan leaves healthcare network out of Tier 1 Byrd’s Auto Sales in Marion to close after 40 years. "The time has come for us to slow down" West Caldwell cancels varsity football. What does this mean for other Catawba Valley teams? USA World Cup winners and losers: Unforgettable summer ends on sour note Man hit, killed by utility pole being dragged by semi-truck in Catawba County McDowell High basketball player caps season at state East-West All-Star game Duke Energy, N.C. officials reach deal on rate hike. Customer bills to go up 9.5% Inside the story of the Burnsville Batman, a NC town's caped crusader Restaurant with Western theme opens in Valdese this week Camping World property in Marion sold to Christian mission organization McDowell County working to address teen suicide Marion mayor speaks on election year changes made by state legislature The crescent Moon joins the planets Mercury, Venus, Uranus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in alignment in 2022 over Melbourne Beach in Florida. Craig Bailey/Florida Today kAmw6C6VD 6G6CJE9:?8 E@ <?@H 23@FE E96 FA4@>:?8 >@@? 2?5 '6?FD 4@?;F?4E:@?[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 =F?2C A92D6 2?5 2 4=@F5 7@C642DE]k^Amk9am(92E :D 2 4@?;F?4E:@?nk^9amkAmp 4@?;F?4E:@? :D 2? 2DEC@?@>:42= 6G6?E :? 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D<Jk^9amkAm%96 >@@? 2?5 '6?FD 2C6 5F6 E@ 92G6 2 4@D>:4 >66EFA E92E D9@F=5 36 G:D:3=6 |2J `g[ }p$p D2:5 :? 2 >@?E9=J D<JH2E49:?8 8F:56]k^AmkAm%9@D6 H9@ =@@< FA E92E ?:89E 92G6 ?@E @?=J 2 492?46 2E D66:?8 '6?FD – @?6 @7 E96 3C:89E6DE @3;64ED :? E96 D<J[ 27E6C E96 DF? – 3FE 2 4C6D46?E >@@? E92E :D ;FDE 3C:89E 6?@F89 E@ 36 D66? H:E9@FE DE62=:?8 E96 D9@H]k^Am k9amw@H 7F== H:== E96 >@@? 36n (92E E@ <?@H 23@FE =F?2C A92D6k^9am kAmqJ |2J `g[ E96 >@@? H:== 36 ;FDE 23@FE dT 7F== 2?5 :? 2 H2I:?8 4C6D46?E A92D6[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2=>2?24]4@>^2DEC@?@>J^>@@?^42=6?52CQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm~=5 u2C>6CVD p=>2?24k^2m] %92E >62?D ;FDE 2 D:=G6C D=:G6C @7 t2CE9VD @?=J ?2EFC2= D2E6==:E6 H:== 36 :==F>:?2E65 2D >@DE @7 :ED ?62C\724:?8 D:56 7246D 2H2J 7C@> @FC A=2?6E[ }p$p 6IA=2:?D]k^Am k9am(:== 4=@F5J H62E96C DA@:= E96 4@?;F?4E:@?nk^9amkAm~7 4@FCD6[ 4=@F5D :? E96 D<J 4@F=5 2=D@ 92>A6C E96 G:6H]k^Am kAm%96 }2E:@?2= (62E96C $6CG:46 D92C65 2 8C2A9:4 D9@H:?8 4=@F5 4@G6C @? E96 ?:89E @7 |2J `g[ H96? E96 4@?;F?4E:@? H@F=5 36 D66?]k^AmkAmq=F6 D925:?8 :?5:42E6D 4=62C D<:6D[ H9:=6 E96 8C2J6C E96 D925:?8 2?5 9:896C E96 A6C46?E286 ?F>36CD[ E96 9:896C E96 492?46 7@C 4=@F5D]k^Am This graphic from the National Weather Service shows the cloud forecast for Monday, May 18 during a conjunction of the moon and Venus. Provided by the National Weather Service k9am(96C6[ 9@H 42? J@F D66 46=6DE:2= 4@?;F?4E:@? :? |2Jnk^9amkAmu@C E9@D6 :? E96 }@CE96C? w6>:DA96C6[ H9:49 :?4=F56D E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D[ DA@EE:?8 E96 4@?;F?4E:@? D9@F=5?VE AC@G6 E@@ 5:77:4F=E]k^Am This graphic can help skygazers spot the moon and Venus in the night sky together Monday, May 18 during a celestial event known as a conjunction. NASA/JPL-Caltech kAm$:>A=J =@42E6 E96 >@@? :? E96 H6DE6C? D<J[ 2?5 '6?FD D9@F=5 D9:?6 3C:89E=J F?56C?62E9 :E]k^Am kAm(2?E E@ 7:?5 2 52C< 2C62 ?62C J@Fn s2C<$<J x?E6C?2E:@?2= :D 2 &]$ ?@?AC@7:E E92E >2:?E2:?D 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^52C<D<J]@C8^H92E\H6\5@^:?E6C?2E:@?2=\52C<\D<J\A=246D^2==\A=246D^n0=@42E:@?05C@A5@H?lFD2Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm=:DE @7 56D:8?2E65 52C< D<Jk^2m 4@>>F?:E:6D 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5[ :?4=F5:?8 `fc :? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D]k^Amk9ams@ J@F ?665 2 E6=6D4@A6 E@ D66 '6?FD ?6IE E@ E96 >@@? :? E96 D<Jnk^9am kAm%6=6D4@A6D 46CE2:?=J H:== 6?92?46 E96 G:6H 3FE DA64E2E@CD 5@?VE ?665 2?J 6BF:A>6?E E@ DA@E E96 >@@? 2?5 '6?FD :? E96 AC6\52H? D<J]k^Am Science NASA unveils next crew of astronauts who will fly to space station Eric Lagatta USA Today 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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