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On Tuesday, June 9, one of the year’s most anticipated astronomical phenomena will take place. It is the planetary alignment between Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury. It will last several days and will be visible across the United States.
What makes this celestial spectacle unusual is that Mercury joins the parade and that 3 planets enter the alignment. When, how, and where to see each phase of the phenomenon.
The most anticipated astronomical spectacle of June arrives: How long will it last and how can you see it?
The phenomenon will have its peak moment between Tuesday and Wednesday, June 10, when Venus and Jupiter will appear close to each other. According to specialists, the planets’ arrangement may be observed for up to one or two weeks after the point of closest approach.
To see it, the recommendation is to look for a place with a clear view of the western horizon to watch between 45 minutes and one hour after sunset.
The brightest object will be Venus, followed by Jupiter, which will be very close. Mercury, on the other hand, will be visible lower down, almost touching the horizon, particularly during the first half of June.
Alignment of Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury: What are conjunctions?
This type of phenomenon occurs when two or more celestial bodies create the optical illusion of moving very close to each other. The truth is that although from Earth it seems they are very close and about to touch, they are in fact still separated by millions of kilometers.
The stars of this occasion will be Venus and Jupiter, which will produce one of the brightest and most striking conjunctions of the year. During the night of Tuesday the 9th, they will be separated by between 1.5 and 1.6 degrees: a distance equivalent to 3 full moons in the sky.
The stellar scene will show a planetary alignment of the three planets, although experts warn that it is not a perfect conjunction, it will seem as though they are in a straight line.