Venus and Jupiter conjunction this June: Dates when Mercury will also be visible and all about this rare three-planet parade

Skywatchers will have an opportunity to observe Venus and Jupiter appearing unusually close together in the evening sky this month. According to NASA, these two planets are set to reach their closest apparent approach on June 9. The event will also coincide with Mercury's visibility, leading to a three-planet alignment often dubbed a "planet parade."



Venus and Jupiter will be a mere 1.6 degrees apart on June 9, meaning they will appear to be almost touching from Earth's perspective, astronomers say. The conjunction will be low in the western sky about 45 minutes after sunset and will be visible to the naked eye.



The two planets will remain within five degrees of each other from June 4 through June 14, giving skywatchers several days to view the celestial event. Mercury will join the display from June 11 to June 15, appearing lower on the western horizon beneath and to the right of Venus and Jupiter.

Venus, Jupiter and Mercury’s three-planet parade in June: How and when to watch

Observers should look toward the western horizon around 45 minutes after sunset. Venus will be the easiest planet to identify, with Jupiter nearby and Mercury appearing lower in the sky. A clear view of the western horizon will improve visibility, particularly for Mercury, which remains close to the twilight glow.



The conjunction will take place within the constellation Gemini, near the well-known stars Castor and Pollux. While the event is visible with the naked eye, binoculars can provide a closer view of the planetary grouping. Small telescopes may also reveal some of Jupiter's largest moons and show Venus as a partially illuminated disc.



The display will continue to evolve after June 9. On June 16 and June 17, a waxing crescent Moon illuminated between 5% and 11% will join the planetary grouping, adding another object to the evening sky display.



Following the conjunction, Jupiter will gradually sink lower toward the horizon, while Venus will continue climbing higher into the western sky over the coming months.



Despite their apparent proximity, Venus and Jupiter are separated by vast distances in space. During the conjunction, Venus will be approximately 110 million miles (180 million kilometres) from Earth, while Jupiter will be about 560 million miles (900 million kilometres) away.



The alignment is a visual effect caused by the planets appearing along a similar line of sight from Earth's perspective as they orbit the Sun along the ecliptic, the path they follow across the sky.



Venus, often called the "Evening Star," will shine brighter than Jupiter during the event. Astronomers note that Venus will appear brighter because it is much closer to Earth and has highly reflective cloud cover.