Breaking Update: Here’s a clear explanation of the latest developments related to Breaking News:How to watch Venus and Jupiter shine together this June |– What Just Happened and why it matters right now.
What if someone tells you that you can have glimpses of other planets while standing on Earth, only and too with your naked eyes? Maybe a large number of people would deny this, but this summer is the chance for skywatchers to watch the sky’s brightest planets dazzle, i.e., Venus and Jupiter. These two planets will get together this June to create a unique event, a ‘double planet’ display, because they are the two brightest planets in our solar system.According to NASA’s Watch the Skies, this conjunction will form as viewed from Earth, where the planets look to be only a ‘pinky finger’ apart. This will occur on June 8-9, 2026, at the maximum point of visibility shortly after sunset in the west-northwest sky. According to NASA’s Watch the Skies, there will only be a short, 1-hour period in time during which you will be able to see these two planets together before they set below the western horizon. Knowing about these planets’ paths helps us recognise them as our sky’s ‘permanent’ sentinels and ‘seasonal’ visitors.
What is a planetary conjunction, and why do Venus and Jupiter appear so close
To understand how rare these ‘double planet’ conjunctions are, it is necessary to investigate the orbital mechanics discussed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a NASA facility. A conjunction occurs when two celestial objects appear close together in the sky because their celestial coordinates align from Earth’s perspective. Thus, although from some perspectives they may appear as though they are touching, in fact they are actually separated by many hundreds of millions of kilometres; they are merely aligned perfectly from an observer’s (on Earth) perspective along the same line of sight.According to the Night Sky Network (NASA) and In-The-Sky.Org, Venus and Jupiter are the next two brightest objects in the sky after the Sun and Moon, which gives Venus its remarkable brightness due to the amount of sunlight reflected (approximately 70%) off of its thick cloud cover; Jupiter’s large size allows it to reflect an appreciable amount of light despite being many hundreds of millions of kilometres apart. Because of their proximity to each other (at that time) on 09 June 2026 (approximately 1.38 degrees apart), they would form an extraordinary ‘beacon’ of light in the twilight sky.
Where and how to watch the Venus and Jupiter dazzle this June
As this ‘double planet’ event occurs so low on the horizon, it is very important to watch the time and location of this event. NASA’s Watch the Sky states that the best window for viewing is the first hour after sunset. This is when the Sun will be below the horizon, and the twilight will have dimmed enough for the planets to become visible, but the planets will set in the western-northwest sky very shortly after sunset.Below are the recommendations for your best chance to see this event:
- Find an unobstructed view: The planets will be approximately 10 to 15 degrees above the horizon, so you will want to make sure your viewing area has an unobstructed view of the western-northwest sky (no tall buildings, trees, or mountains).
- Use the ‘pinky finger’ rule: To find the planets, extend your arm horizontally and stick out your pinky finger. According to NASA, the distance between the two planets is 1.38 degrees, which is slightly less than the width of your pinky; thus, they should appear as a very close pair.
- No equipment necessary: While seeing details such as Jupiter’s largest moons or the phase of Venus through binoculars would be interesting to see, this event can be watched through ‘naked-eye’ viewing. The brightness of Venus and the size of Jupiter will allow them to be seen easily, even with moderate light pollution from an urban area.