Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter between 12th and 13th November

What’s Venus and Jupiter conjunction?

Before the November 13, 2017 sunrise, watch for the super-close pairing of the sky’s two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter. They’ll be in the sunrise direction, low in the eastern sky at dawn. Depending on where you live worldwide, Venus and Jupiter will come closest together on the sky’s dome on the morning of November 13 or 14. At their closest, the two planets will be 0.3^o apart. That’s less than the apparent diameter of the moon (0.5^o).

After the morning of November 13, you’ll see Jupiter climb higher up in the morning sky day by day. Meanwhile, Venus will plunge sunward day by day, to be lost in the sunrise glare by year’s end.

How to watch the Venus and Jupiter conjunction

As with all astronomical events, the conjunction will be best viewed in a rural location away from any light pollution.

No matter where on Earth you live, you’ll want to find an unobstructed horizon in the direction of sunrise to maximize your chances of spotting Venus and Jupiter near the horizon. Better yet, stand atop a hill or balcony, to peek farther over the horizon than you would from level ground.

The planets should be visible with the naked eye, but they will be close enough to fit within the sights of a telescope or pair of binoculars if you want a clearer view. Venus and Jupiter will rise in the eastern sky, remaining close to the horizon.