Skywatchers are in for a celestial treat, as two of the brightest planets - Jupiter and Venus - converge upon each other. Contrary to most headlines, Jupiter and Venus are not on a “collision course,” but they are set to make an incredibly close pairing on June 30.
According to Sky & Telescope, when observed in the evening skies of early June, the two planets were just 20° apart from each other. As the month progressed, the two planets have been drawing ever-closer to one another. While Venus has remained high up in the skies, Jupiter has been gradually sinking downward.
For eight nights in a row, starting June 27, Jupiter and Venus will be around 2° apart in the night sky. This would mean that the thumb of an outstretched hand would be able to cover both planets. On June 30, the pair will be just one-third of degree apart in the night’s sky, and will have the appearance of a bright double star.
The spectacular moment will take place in the western sky, during twilight hours. Weather permitting, Tuesday should provide the best view of the conjunction.
While many have talked about a so-called collision course, the two planets will remain at vast distances from each other. Venus is 56 million miles from Earth, whereas Jupiter is over 550 million miles away; Venus is the second planet in our solar system, while Jupiter is the fifth.
These conjunctions are also relatively frequent occurrences, with Jupiter and Venus pairings taking place every few years.
According to Popular Science’s Katie Peek, here’s how the event should unfold:
Update [06/27/2015]: This article has been updated to provide the correct unit of measurement between Jupiter and Venus.