Throughout the month of June 2015, the two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, will be converging in the sunset sky.
If you love stargazing, there’s a date you should mark on your calendar: June. That’s right, the whole month. Throughout the month of June 2015, the two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, will be converging in the sunset sky. Last night in Vulcan, Alberta, photographer Alan Dyer caught them lining up with 1st-magnitude star Regulus
“Venus and Jupiter were visible even through light clouds,” says Dyer. “It was a beautiful sight.”
The convergence will continue for the rest of the month. Every night you can see the two planets drawing closer together. By the end of June, Venus and Jupiter will be a jaw-dropping 1/3rd of a degree apart. That’s less than the width of a full Moon. You’ll be able to hide the pair behind the tip of your pinky finger held at arm’s length.
Observing tips: When the sun goes down, step outside and look west. You don’t have to wait until the sky fades to black. Venus and Jupiter are so bright, you can see then shining through the twilight. In fact, some people say the planets are especially beautiful when they are surrounded by the cobalt hue of the early evening sky. Browse the realtime photo gallery for daily sightings.