Venus and Jupiter get close in night sky
Updated 7:06 pm, Monday, March 12, 2012
All year long, the planets swing through the night sky. This week, two of them -- Venus and Jupiter -- will do their celestial do-si-do together.
The two planets, the two brightest objects in the night sky, will appear to be nearly side-by-side this week in the western sky after sunset.
The two, obviously, won't be close -- Venus is our next-door neighbor, while Jupiter lives halfway across town. That's why Venus, although much smaller than Jupiter, will appear much brighter.
More InformationVenus Second planet from the sun Orbits the sun every 224.7 Earth days. Named after the Roman goddess of love. After the moon, the brightest natural object in the night sky. Often seen just after dusk or just before sunrise: hence its name as the Morning Star or the Evening Star. Jupiter Fifth planet from the sun Largest planet within the solar system Orbits the sun every 4,333 Earth days Named after the Roman king of the gods Has 66 satellites orbiting around it After the moon and Venus, the third-brightest natural object in the night sky
The two are often together in the night sky. But this conjunction, when they appear to be only 3 degrees apart, occurs only once every 24 years. If you don't pay attention now, you'll have to wait until 2036.
It's also free in every way. It costs nothing to look up into the night sky. And because the two planets are so bright, you won't need a telescope, or even binoculars, to find them.
They'll be in the west, for the first hours of darkness. And while they'll move apart, they'll be visible through the month.
"Venus is very bright and very high in the night sky,'' Chester said. "Having Jupiter so close is the icing on the cake.''
This conjunction is just one of three beautiful things to see in the coming weeks.
On March 26, Venus will move close to a crescent moon.
"Jupiter will be below it,'' Chester said.
This month, people can turn 180 degrees and look to the east. Mars -- also bright and slightly red -- will be there, Dawson said.
And eight weeks later, on June 5, there will be the Transit of Venus. That you will need a specially equipped telescope to see.
The Transit of Venus occurs when Venus' orbit takes it between the Earth and the sun. We then see Venus as a small black dot, a freckle moving across the sun's face.
Transits of Venus get spaced out in this order: We had one in 2004. We'll have one in 2012. Then, the next one will be in 2117.
"If you don't see this one, you won't see the next one,'' Chester said. "I'm not planning to live that long.''
In the eastern United States, we'll only see part of Venus' crossing. It will begin here at sunset, so our viewing time will be limited.
"If you want to be really dedicated to this, you'll have to go to Hawaii,'' Chester said.