Venus, Jupiter Align In Rare Planetary Conjunction March 12, 13

By: Mike Wall
Published: 03/12/2012 09:39 AM EDT on SPACE.com

Venus and Jupiter have been dancing toward each other in the night sky for months, and they'll finally come together this week in a dazzling show for skywatchers.

Beginning tonight (March 12), the two brightest planets in the sky will be so close together that you'll be able to block both of them out with a few fingers held at arm's length. The celestial action peaks Thursday (March 15), when Venus and Jupiter line up in what's known as a planetary conjunction.

Venus-Jupiter conjunctions are fairly special events, occurring roughly every 13 months. And this one should be the best conjunction for several years to come for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere, experts say, because the two planets will be visible for so long in the evening sky. At mid-northern latitudes on Thursday, the pair should blaze bright over the western horizon for about four hours after sunset.

Though Jupiter is about 11 times wider than the roughly Earth-size Venus, Venus shines much more brightly than the gas giant from our perspective — about eight times more brightly this week, in fact. [Video: Jupiter & Venus Loom Large]

That's because Venus is much closer to us than Jupiter is. On average, Earth orbits 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) from the sun, a distance defined as 1 astronomical unit (AU). Venus zips around our star at about 0.72 AU, while Jupiter is found roughly 5.2 AU away from the sun.

Through a telescope, Jupiter and Venus look very different. Jupiter's atmosphere displays many complex bands and swirls, including the famous gargantuan storm known as the Great Red Spot. Venus, on the other hand, presents only a bland, whitish deck of clouds.

But beneath the clouds, the Venusian surface is anything but bland. The hellishly hot planet — which has an average surface temperature of roughly 860 degrees Fahrenheit (460 degrees Celsius) — harbors numerous craters, mountains and valleys.

Venus and Jupiter will part ways after this week, each heading off toward a different patch of sky. Be sure to check back in with Venus in a few months; on June 5, the planet will cross the face of the sun from Earth's perspective, appearing as a tiny black dot against the face of our star.

Such Venus transits occur fewer than two times per century, on average. After June 5, the next one will take place in 2117.

If you snap an amazing photo of Venus and Jupiter, or any other skywatching target, and would like to share it for a possible story or image gallery, please contact SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall at [e-mail].

You can follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter: @michaeldwall. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcomand on Facebook.

• Planets Venus and Jupiter Own the Night (Infographic)
• Best Binoculars for Skywatchers and Observers
• Skywatching Books: Sky Maps and Charts for Night Sky Viewing

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Comments

[Gina Retchs]

05:43 AM on 12/16/2012

When I told my friends that those two bright objects were not stars but Jupiter and Venus my friends didnt belive me.
http://solarsystemwiki.org/jupiter/

[Crea Ward]

06:54 PM on 07/11/2012

I have been watching venus and jupiter also known as[ nuriubu and emoiya] sence 08 i seen them emerged together, and out of it came a beautiful florescent like jade green commet that went soaring across the skys like a kite, in astral speed this was, was so amazing, i never will forget , tha awe of it all. i like to say Thank You! for being so informative and Educational with these wonderfull post.

[americanalien]

09:06 PM on 03/14/2012

I've been tracking Venus, Jupiter, and Mars in the nights sky from my location in New York City for the last couple nights. Tonight Venus and Jupiter are extremely close and are the brightest objects in the sky (besides the moon, i.e. if you can see the moon from your location). Mars is also very prominent with its distinct orange like color. I can see two other very bright "star" like objects. I think one is Saturn but I am not sure what the other is... perhaps Mercury I guess.

[PaulCox100]

02:58 PM on 03/14/2012

I created a time-lapse video of the pair setting behind the Mt.Teide at the Observatorio del Teide here: http://plus.google.com/113293976957750950702/posts/2A5Ki64zHmm - it compresses several hours and hundreds of individual images into a short 19sec video.

I will be creating a similar time-lapse on Thursday evening - the actual time of their conjunction.

Although a little further apart by the end of the month, the pair will be joined by a waxing crescent Moon on the 25th and 26th March - that'll look stunning and provide another fabulous imaging opportunity.

[K- Bear-1]

01:43 AM on 12/22/2012

better late than never....your videos are amazing, very talented...F&F!!

[ShanaJuly]

06:53 AM on 03/14/2012

I saw Venus and Jupiter last night as I watched the sky like most other nights. They were so bright in the western sky I had to do a double take...nice sky last night. I love just star and planet gazing...

[yeti7]

04:30 PM on 03/14/2012

did you turn around a take a good look in the East for Mars?

[ShanaJuly]

05:29 PM on 03/14/2012

Yes, I did since when I step out of the houseI am facing east. I was actually looking for Jupiter and Venus as I do every night but I did not realize it is a special time for the two's alignment...it was stunning in the very early evening hours. Wish I had a star gazer standing next to me it is no fun watching alone. Alas, no one seems to have a moment in time to stop and just take a gander at the amazing evening sky...

[Vila M Patel]

02:17 AM on 03/14/2012

When Jupiter aligns with Mars...then love will fill the air

[Flowerchild2]

10:00 PM on 03/15/2012

Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

[proudtohaveserved]

07:57 PM on 03/13/2012

and this happenned at least once before. on april 17th 4 BC making it the star of bethlehem. AWESOME

[psyn70]

12:18 PM on 03/13/2012

i thought I might have been looking at these 2 on Friday. The were hovering over the Bitteroot Mountains in Western Montana. It is amazing how so many of these stellar events occur above cloud cover, dammit. I have resorted to stepping out no matter what the temp to look at a clear night sky.
I like the idea that there are scientists cruisin' above us. Can't wait for more pictures coming from rovers and probes and hopefully more manned missions. I was fortunate to live in Florida and have a dad working on the launches during the beginning of the manned flights. There is nothing like the thunderous rumble vibrating through your entire body while watching a missle launch.

[Adam Dray]

09:20 AM on 03/13/2012

...and yet it'll be just a new spec in the sky to 99.9% of people. Most people don't realize they're looking at ginormous objects doing a dance out there, cause all they see is a tiny light up above. Either way though..pretty cool!

[mu chowdhury]

03:42 AM on 03/13/2012

I wish I were able to see-off them in a jocund mood
if they took away with them, the tragedies and pathos of
our poor planet caused by its most 'intelligent' creatures !!
They know that these creatures are bound to invade and
occupy them sooner or later.

[TheAnitQuasar]

12:15 AM on 03/13/2012

It is kind of hard to look at it and then think that we are actually closer to Jupiter than is Venus even though they appear to be right next to each other.

[Wojo Walter John Deptuch]

12:53 AM on 03/13/2012

Actually if you read the article we are closer to venus than jupiter

[talari]

01:02 AM on 03/13/2012

True, but you need to read what TheAnitQuasar actually said.

[greasebird]

12:55 AM on 03/13/2012

So darn right about that

[SickOfBarf]

12:11 AM on 03/13/2012

Any Sky Watchers from Hawaii posting??

We are looking at you, Hawaii, can see your rain and clouds and traffic. Can you tell us if you have seen the configuration at any point from Feb to now, and where your general location sighting was?

Thank you.

(looks like you have some magic going on with your tides/riptides).

[yeti7]

04:36 PM on 03/14/2012

as long as it isn't cloudy, I think everyone in the north hemisphere
sees the same planets in the same position just at different times to each other.
Does that make sense?
Anyway each observer will see the same alignment after each observers local sunset.

[SickOfBarf]

05:30 PM on 03/14/2012

Yes, it does make sense. At 2a.m. Texas time, the siggy is lined up in mid-heaven.

[SickOfBarf]

12:02 AM on 03/13/2012

Here is a link with really good photos of the configuration as it has been seen in various States in the USA. These photos, I think, begin in February so what you are seeing now in March will be different. Enjoy!

http://www.space.com/14671-photos-venus-moon-jupiter-conjunction-skywatching-images.html

[Michele Ragland]

01:11 AM on 03/14/2012

Thanks for the link.....the photos were fantastic!

[SickOfBarf]

10:58 AM on 03/14/2012

You are very welcome. When the next siggy occurs it will be a real panorama to see and hopefully the skies will be clear of pollution so everyone can enjoy it!

A siggy is a lineup of many planets in a straight line in the night sky seen best on a clear night around 2 am. The rings of Saturn can be seen with binoculars!

Happy Sky Watching!

[Anna JD]

11:45 PM on 03/12/2012

President Obama, born with the moon in Taurus will be getting a wonderful benefit from this planetary conjunction and his ratings will swell accordingly!

It's all in the stars. He'll be our Commander in Chief yet again. Jupiter and Venus together in his birth moon sign are direct conduits of the many blessings these two planets deliver especially when in harmony together. Joy, happiness, beauty, success, love and yes, re-election. Fait accompli? Si, si!

I am not sure what star stuff Preisdent Obama's rivals are made up of but, the President has a definite, celestial if not divine edge over them whatever the case may be. May the very best man win, Mr. President!

[jacloner1]

09:11 AM on 03/13/2012

Yea. Allah looks over all Muslims

[steves1709]

11:45 PM on 03/13/2012

How does that apply to a Christian??

[oldjags]

12:48 PM on 03/13/2012

And I thought only fundamentalist Christians were supposed to be the looney ones!

[muffychops]

10:22 PM on 03/13/2012

nope...all liberals are looney.......therefore "looney libs" hehehe

[Cactas1]

11:36 PM on 03/12/2012

Been spending evenings here in San Diego watching the dance across the sky..... beautiful and awe inspiring. Tonight they look like eyes in the sky... and wherever you go, they're looking at you!