Two of the brightest planets in our sky, Venus and Jupiter, will shine close together in a celestial meetup just after sunset Tuesday night. The best part is, you don’t need a telescope or binoculars to view this astronomical feat and the skies will be clear.
A conjunction like this occurs when two planets appear near each other from our point of view on Earth, even though they’re still millions of miles apart in space. Over the past several weeks, Venus has ”caught up” to Jupiter, and both now appear only about 1.5 degrees apart, presenting “another excellent opportunity for photographers to catch this,” said John Gianforte, director of the University of New Hampshire Observatory.
“From our perspective on Earth, they just appear close together in the sky from where we sit in space, but the truth is that Jupiter lies far beyond Venus,” said Gianforte.
“This happens because the planets orbit the sun along nearly the same path in our sky, called the ecliptic,” NASA says.
From Thursday, June 11 until June 15, Mercury joins the scene, creating “a mini-parade of planets low in the western sky,” according to NASA.
When’s the best time to view the conjunction tonight?
“Look low in the western sky beginning just around sunset — around 8:20 p.m.,” Gianforte said. “Venus will be the brightest and easiest to spot, and Jupiter will be nearby. If you have a clear unobstructed view of the western horizon, you might even be able to catch speedy little Mercury to the lower right of the Venus-Jupiter pairing. Mercury will be fainter than Venus and Jupiter, and binoculars will be a help here.” The waning crescent moon tonight won’t interfere with any stargazing.
Any special viewing equipment needed?
“Nope. Watching this close conjunction with just your eyes is the best way to enjoy it,” he said. “Binoculars will provide a zoomed-in view, but using just your eyes will give you the best perspective. For photographers, a telephoto lens of 150-300mm will help capture this conjunction when the planets are closest together. A camera tripod will also be helpful.”
What’s coming up next in stargazing?
The Perseids meteor shower will be active from July 17 to Aug. 24, peaking on Aug. 12-13. If the skies are dark enough, anywhere between 50 and 100 meteors can race through the night sky each hour. And a new moon is scheduled on Aug. 12, so conditions will be optimal for viewing these bright streaking meteors.
Perseid meteors streak over Sequoia National Forest in California in 2023.Preston Dyches/NASA
How can people enjoy more of what the night sky has to offer?
Gianforte says planetary pairings like tonight’s “make it easy to go out and enjoy some special views that nature provides us. There are lots of other sights in the night sky that warrant a little of your time. Get in touch with a local amateur astronomy club or a university Astronomy Department. They will sometimes sponsor observing nights.” He suggests some good places to start are:
• North Shore Area Astronomy Club
• The Gloucester Area Astronomy Club
• Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston
• The UNH Observatory
Marianne Mizera can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @MareMizera.
