Topline<\/p>\n
Have you seen the bright \u201cstar\u201d or \u201cstars\u201d<\/a> shining low in the west after dark? A remarkable celestial display is unfolding in the post-sunset sky this weekend as Venus, Jupiter and Mercury line up after sunset, offering stargazers an easy-to-see \u201cplanetary parade\u201d \u2014 and perhaps a chance of northern lights<\/a>. Over the coming evenings, the planets will appear increasingly close together, culminating in a striking planetary conjunction between Venus and Jupiter<\/a> on Tuesday, June 9, visible to the naked eye. That will be one of the best naked-eye planetary events of the year, but this weekend, Venus, Jupiter and Mercury draw closer together.<\/p>\n The positions of three planets this weekend, about 45 minutes after sunset in the west, as seen from across North America.<\/p>\n Stellarium (edited by Jamie Carter using Canva)Timeline<\/p>\n Friday, June 5Venus and Jupiter appear low in the west after sunset, with Mercury closer to the horizon below them, forming a planetary trio.<\/p>\n Saturday, June 6The gap between Venus and Jupiter narrows slightly, while Mercury remains visible beneath them, slightly higher than the previous night.<\/p>\n Sunday, June 7Venus and Jupiter draw closer still, now aligning with the stars Castor and Pollux in Gemini, as Mercury continues to rise. It sets the stage for next week\u2019s spectacular conjunction.<\/p>\n Three Bright Planets Share The Sunset Sky<\/p>\n Observers looking west shortly after sunset will see Venus and Jupiter shining prominently above the horizon. Venus appears as the brightest object in the evening sky at magnitude -4, while Jupiter shines slightly less brightly nearby at magnitude -1.9, both in the constellation Gemini. Venus will appear almost seven times brighter than Jupiter. Mercury, lower toward the horizon, completes the planetary trio, though it may be more difficult to detect due to lingering twilight. A pair of binoculars should get you a sight of the \u201cSwift Planet,\u201d so called because it orbits the sun in just 88 Earth days, so it changes position very quickly as seen from Earth.<\/p>\n Understanding The Planetary Conjunction<\/p>\n The upcoming conjunction (sometimes called an appulse) of Venus and Jupiter on Tuesday, June 9, will see the two planets appear to be just 1.5 degrees apart \u2014 barely the width of an outstretched finger. They are not physically close together in space. Instead, the sight is driven by the relative motion of the planets around the sun. Venus, traveling along a faster inner orbit, appears to be catching up with Jupiter from Earth\u2019s viewpoint. As a result, the two worlds seem to draw closer together against the background stars.<\/p>\n Best Time And Place To Watch<\/p>\n The best time to see Venus and Jupiter \u2014 as well as Mercury \u2014 is about 45 minutes after sunset. You\u2019ll need an unobstructed view of the western horizon, particularly to see Mercury. The planets remain relatively low in the sky and set within about an hour, making timing important. Although Jupiter and Venus will be closest together on June 9, they will remain within five degrees of each other from this weekend through June 14, giving skywatchers more than a week to enjoy the pairing. The scene will become even more striking on June 16 and 17, when a slender waxing crescent moon will join the two planets low in the western sky.<\/p>\n Further readingForbesVenus And Jupiter To Almost Touch After Sunset In Close ConjunctionBy Jamie Carter<\/a>ForbesWhat Are Those Two Bright Stars In The West After Sunset?By Jamie Carter<\/a>ForbesIt\u2019s 100 Days Until A Total Solar Eclipse. Here\u2019s How To See ItBy Jamie Carter<\/a>ForbesHow I Photograph The Northern Lights With My Phone \u2014 By An ExpertBy Jamie Carter<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Topline Have you seen the bright \u201cstar\u201d or \u201cstars\u201d shining low in the west after dark? 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