Overview
- The two brightest planets will reach their tightest apparent approach on June 9, when Venus and Jupiter will appear roughly 1.6 degrees apart.
- The pairing is already visible in the western sky after sunset and is easiest to spot about 45 minutes after sunset during an extended viewing window from about June 4 through June 14.
- Mercury is forecast to join the scene from roughly June 11–15, producing a rare three‑planet lineup low on the western horizon that may be hard to see without a clear, unobstructed view.
- On June 17 the Moon will occult Venus along a path crossing parts of the United States, Canada, Brazil and Venezuela, and observers are warned to use safe practices when viewing events that occur in daylight.
- The close grouping is a line‑of‑sight effect along the ecliptic—the planets remain hundreds of millions of miles apart—and local planetariums and observatories are scheduling public viewing sessions and advising binoculars or small telescopes for better views.