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Venus/Jupiter Conjunction Tomorrow

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the planet-gazing dept.

TigerNut writes "I've been watching Venus and Jupiter creep closer together in the morning sky for the last few weeks, and tomorrow will be their closest approach, according to this table. The table also indicates this will be the closest that Venus and Jupiter will appear until 2014. Happy viewing! There's more on the conjunction at Universe Today."

2 of 147 comments (clear)

  1. Pictures! by BisonHoof · · Score: 5, Informative

    Excellent pictures here: http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/vj_conj_nov04.html

  2. Re:Best viewing point? by frizzbit · · Score: 5, Informative
    Since closest approach was at 1:57 UT and Venus and Jupiter rise an hour before sunrise that means anywhere where it is dawn at around this time, which would be southern and eastern Africa, Saudi Arabia, Middle East, central Asia and eastern Siberia.

    Your exact location does really matter though since the planets move slowly enough that the planets will still be very close if you look today or tomorrow morning. You need to get out just as dawn is begining to break and look in the east (the direction where the sun is early in the morning). Providing there is nothing much obstructing your view in that direction near the horizon you should be able to spot the two planets close together before the sun comes up.

    How to know you're definitely looking at Venus and Jupiter?

    They will be brighter than any stars but not by that much with Venus noticeably brighter than Jupiter.

    Both pale yellow/orange.

    Will rise together. You will not see their separation change unless you look the next morning.