Venus and Jupiter Will Nearly Touch After Sunset, But the Real Story Is the Illusion

This is where, for just a few nights in the month of June, one can see the two most obvious celestial objects converging until they finally come into contact with each other.

The two brightest objects among the planets, which are visible in our skies here on earth, converge to create a spectacular viewing experience, and it involves a planetary conjunction between the two bright planets, namely Venus and Jupiter. From June 8 and 9, the two planets will come together next to each other in the skies to the west such that even a layman can believe he/she is seeing a double planet, an alien spacecraft, or a single planet split in half.

It is not only because Venus and Jupiter are converging that makes the experience spectacular, however.

It is their actual distance from each other that makes the entire thing fascinating.

This explains why it is so unique. It is neither an effect nor a hazard but not even something new that was just found out about either. It is perspective staging the solar system.

A Sky Event Built for Everyone

There are some phenomena in astronomy that will require telescopes, good skies, travel, and even perfect timing. This is not true for this phenomenon.

Being as bright as planets go, Venus and Jupiter can be seen from anywhere; whether it is from large towns, the rural areas, when moving on the rural roads, or even from your balcony. What is required is that there must be a clear view of the West sky in the evenings after sunset.

This is what makes the conjunction all the more interesting. It is not an astronomical event reserved only for the professionals. Instead, it is an astronomical event which could catch you unawares during a normal evening.

It could catch the eye of a person who is disposing of his rubbish, going to work, walking with his/her pet, or even stuck in a traffic jam.

Why Venus and Jupiter Look So Bright

Venus is known as the “evening star” since there is a considerable amount of reflected light on this planet even after sunset although Venus is not a star at all. The high level of reflective properties of the planet’s clouds makes it shine brightly at night.

However, the way Jupiter can be observed at night is completely different. Even though Jupiter is rather distant from our planet, it is so huge that it reflects the Sun’s light back to space, which makes it possible for us to see it.

That means that Venus and Jupiter make a unique combination of two planets that deserve people’s attention due to their beautiful appearance. Undoubtedly, Venus will be more visible than Jupiter though the second one will remain its neighbor.

As far as the naked eye is concerned, we might call these planets neighbors.

The Solar System Momentarily Looks Flat

It is one reason why this combination forms a very visually deceptive illusion by creating a sense of the two-dimensional nature of the solar system.

The human eye has been trained through experience to view the night sky in a domed fashion wherein the stars and planets appear to be equally distanced despite having different distances. This combination enhances this experience.

Over the next few days, Venus and Jupiter will be seen as near to each other since both have aligned themselves in the same direction relative to the viewer. This can be compared to aligning one’s hand close to the eyes in an attempt to align it in the same direction as a distant building.

This simply reminds us that everything we see in the night sky is simply a matter of perspective and not distance.

Through the conjunction, one can experience this without any knowledge of mathematics or telescopic aid.

The Best Time to Look

It would be good to observe near dusk, because at this time, the sky will be getting darker, but the planets would not be too low.

One would need to face west or west-northwest, depending on where one is located. It would be better if one had an even horizon because both planets will be seen near the horizon line.

Anything which could possibly hinder the view of the planets, such as trees, buildings, mountains, haze, and pollution, would not help with observing the conjunction. The clearer the horizon, the better the chances of observing both planets.

Telescope would not be needed since binoculars will help, though the conjunction itself has been made specifically for naked eye observation.

Even during the days before and after the conjunction, the observer can make use of this opportunity since the two planets will still remain close to each other.

Why These Events Still Matter

In this era where space pictures taken through the expensive telescopes find themselves on the Internet instantly, planetary conjunction can be seen as a mundane event.

However, what makes planetary conjunctions an event worth noting is the fact that this phenomenon enables humans to reconnect with their own humanity through astronomy.

One does not have to understand anything about the orbit for one to appreciate the beauty of two shining stars in the night sky. Understanding whether these objects are close or how old they are, as well as their compositions, does not play a role here. All that is needed is for one to see them.

Seeing is all that matters.

Long before the space agencies and space observatories were formed, astronomy began with individual observations of events in the skies.

A Beautiful Near Miss That Was Never Close

Neither of these will get physically closer to each other. They will neither collide nor merge, or cause something to happen on Earth. It is purely in the eye.

That does not mean that it is not a wonder at all.

Quite the contrary – this only makes it more fascinating. It is a coincidence in the world of astronomy that comes from the movement, positioning, and distances between celestial bodies.

The day will offer people the chance to observe just how wonderful and misleading their solar system can be.

Both planets will appear to be so close to touching each other.

In reality, they will be millions of miles apart.

This is precisely why it is so fascinating to watch. In one moment, people will realize that the universe is packed into such a tiny area.

By David Loran Jr

A successful Editor-in-Chief, journalist for over 6 years, writing about important topics that are going on within the U.S. and beyond.

Sources:

National Geographic: How to see the ‘cosmic kiss’ of Jupiter and Venus in the night sky

Forbes: Venus And Jupiter To Almost Touch After Sunset In Close Conjunction

Featured Image Courtesy of Andrea Luck‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License

Inset Image Courtesy of Kevin Gill‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License