Venus and Jupiter see each other in Humboldt, Tennessee, Saturday morning.— @ DebraJ54
- Venus and Jupiter will be visible tonight.
- Although they are 430 million miles apart, they almost seem to touch each other.
- Peak viewing time begins after 21:00 PST until before dawn.
The brightest planets in our solar system, Venus and Jupiter, will look very close tonight, BBC reported.
While the planets will actually be about 430 million miles apart, they will almost seem to collide from Earth. This illusion is called a planetary coincidence.
This rare celestial dance is likely to take place in 2039 and can be seen with the naked eye in clear skies.
After tonight, the planets will split and move away.
“This is very exciting for astronomers and it’s a really great opportunity for people to go out and see,” said space scientist and chief astronomer at the Society for Popular Astronomy, Prof. Lucy Green.
The peak viewing time of the connection starts after 21:00 PST, but will be available for viewing for the next few nights as they gradually move away.
One of the best times to explore is before dawn, with planets close to the horizon. Since they will be low in the sky, it is important to be high as a roof to enjoy the view.
Read more: Celestial Dance: Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Saturn align
“The planets will differ in their brightness. Venus is brighter than Jupiter, so it will look dazzlingly bright when you see it. Jupiter will be a little weaker, about one-sixth the brightness of Venus,” said Professor Green.
People who have a telescope will be able to enjoy it the most. Some of Jupiter’s largest moons can be seen. In addition, they may be able to see Mars and Saturn accompanying the two bright planets.
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