What Are Those Two Bright Stars In The West After Sunset?
Forbes • • science
Key Points:
- Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets visible from Earth, are approaching a close conjunction in the western sky, peaking on the evening of June 9, 2026, when they will appear only 1.6 degrees apart.
- Venus will be about seven times brighter than Jupiter during the conjunction due to its closer proximity to Earth and its reflective cloud cover, making it the dominant "Evening Star" in the twilight sky.
- The conjunction can be observed without special equipment starting about 45 minutes to two hours after sunset, looking low toward the western horizon from an unobstructed location.
- This celestial event is a result of Earth's changing perspective as Venus moves closer and higher in the evening sky while Jupiter gradually moves toward the horizon and into the sun’s glare by late July.
- Other upcoming notable sky events include a rare Blue Moon on May 30, a New Supermoon on June 15, the summer solstice on June 21, and a Jupiter-Mars conjunction on November 15.