Venus, Jupiter close on June 10

Venus and Jupiter are moving into one of June’s easiest skywatching events, with the two brightest evening planets appearing close together in the western sky after sunset. CBC reported on June 1 that the pairing is already visible this week and will tighten over the next several evenings. The closest approach is listed for June 9, when Venus and Jupiter share the same right ascension at a separation of 1°38', according to In-The-Sky.org. On June 10, they will still appear close in the west-northwest after sunset, according to When the Curves Line Up. ### When should people look up? June 1 is the start of the viewing window highlighted by CBC, which said people can find Venus and Jupiter in the west after sunset as the planets draw together over the coming days. Forbes said the conjunction will be a standout June sky event and advised watching roughly after sunset in the western sky. EarthSky said the best view comes on June 8, with the pair still strikingly close around June 9. (cbc.ca) June 9 is the formal conjunction date cited by multiple sky guides. In-The-Sky.org said Venus and Jupiter will share the same right ascension that day, separated by 1°38'. Timeanddate.com also lists June 9 as the close approach, while noting that Mercury joins the evening scene later in the month. ### Where in the sky will the planets appear? (cbc.ca) CBC said the planets are visible in the west after sunset, with Venus the brighter object and lower on the horizon. When the Curves Line Up said that by June 10 the pair will sit in the west-northwest after sunset, with Mercury lower in evening twilight. Astronomy magazine said observers looking west soon after sunset can also use bright Jupiter and Venus to help find Mercury along the ecliptic. (in-the-sky.org) June 1 guidance from Astronomy magazine said Mercury stands about 10 degrees high 30 minutes after sunset, and that a line through Jupiter and Venus can point observers toward it near the horizon. That means viewers scanning low in the western sky may see a three-planet grouping, though Venus and Jupiter are the obvious naked-eye targets. (cbc.ca) ### Is this a true close encounter? CBC said the planets only appear close from Earth and remain roughly 670 million kilometers apart. In-The-Sky.org’s 1°38' figure describes their apparent separation in the sky, not a physical meeting in space. EarthSky likewise said the two planets are separated by hundreds of millions of miles even as they appear nearly side by side after sunset. (astronomy.com) ### What else is happening in the June sky? Astronomy magazine said June’s other notable sky events include Mercury reaching greatest elongation in the evening sky and the Moon occulting Venus later in the month. Star Walk and Forbes also listed the Venus-Jupiter pairing among the month’s headline observing events, alongside Mercury’s June 15 greatest elongation and a June 17 Moon-Venus occultation visible from some locations. (cbc.ca) June 10 is the next date to watch after the peak conjunction. When the Curves Line Up said Venus and Jupiter will remain close together in the west-northwest after sunset that evening, while Mercury sits lower in the fading twilight. (whenthecurveslineup.com) (astronomy.com)