If you missed Venus and Jupiter’s short, sweet date last night (June 20), not to fear; you will have another chance on June 30.
The two planets shone almost as bright as the Sun and Moon in our vast sky, and have been closing distance upon one another all month. They were, visually, close to the Moon, with the possibility to cover the three with only a hand.
For about eight nights this year, Jupiter and Venus, although some 500 millions miles away from one another, will look as if they might collide. There is nothing to worry about, of course, but it is a magnificent sight. On the night of June 30, Jupiter and Venus will appear only a fraction of a degree apart.
“Planetary conjunctions have no effect on Earth or human affairs,” Sky & Telescope Senior Editor Alan MacRobert said, “except for one: They can lift our attention away from our own little world into the enormous things beyond. That’s what amateur astronomers do all the time. A spectacular conjunction like this often gets people started in the hobby. Once you start, there’s no end to how far you can go.”
On the night of June 30, should you face west you should be able to see the two planets’ course. If you hold your hand out at arm’s length, the two will be approximately a thumb’s width away from one another.
