المملكة: Jeddah Astronomy: A rare sight with the naked eye in the Kingdom’s sky… the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter tonight
Head of The Astronomical Society in Jeddah, Engineer Majid Abu Zahra said that the skies of the Kingdom and the Arab world will witness this evening, Tuesday, one of the most prominent astronomical scenes during the year 2026, represented by the conjunction of the planets Venus and Jupiter above the western horizon after sunset, in a phenomenon of the two brightest planets in the sky gathering within a small area of the planetarium.
Abu Zahra explained that the event is one of the most important astronomical observing occasions this year, where interested people and amateurs will be able Astronomy means viewing the two planets clearly adjacent to the naked eye from various regions of the Kingdom and the Arab world, provided that there is an open western horizon and clarity in the atmosphere.
Conjunction of the two brightest planets in the sky
He explained that the astronomical conjunction occurs when two celestial bodies appear close to each other in the sky as they are seen from Earth, even though the real distances separating them in space are very vast, indicating that this The phenomenonis one of the recurring natural events resulting from the continuous movement of the planets around the sun.
He pointed out that the importance of today’s conjunction lies in its bringing together the two brightest planets in the sky after the sun and the moon, where the apparent magnitude of Venus is about (-3.9), while the brightness of Jupiter is (-1.7), which makes them easy to observe even from inside cities that suffer from light pollution.
He added that the distance The angle separating the two planets at the peak of conjunction will range between 1.5 and 1.6 degrees only, which is a relatively small distance that will make them appear remarkably adjacent in the evening sky, in a scene that attracts attention and gives astrophotographers a unique opportunity to take rare pictures.
He pointed out that the two planets will be visible together within the field of view of common binoculars such as 7×50 and 10×50, while users of small telescopes will be able to see a disk. Venus clearly and observed planet Jupiterand perhaps its four largest moons known as the Galilean moons, depending on the quality of observation and weather conditions.
He explained that Venus and Jupiter will appear in a west-northwest direction within the boundaries of the Gemini constellation, near the two bright stars Castor and Pollux, which will make it easier for observers to determine their location in the sky.
Duration of the phenomenon
Abu Zahra stressed that the phenomenon will not be limited to one night, as It is possible to follow the approach of the two planets to each other during the previous days, and then monitor their gradual separation after the peak date, which provides an educational and scientific opportunity to understand the movement of the planets among the stars and monitor the change in their apparent positions day after day.
He added that the evening sky will increase in beauty during the coming days as the planet Mercury approaches the same region in approximately two days, joining Venus and Jupiter in a scene resembling a planetary gathering above the western horizon, which makes the current period one of the best times for astronomical observation during the year.
The President of the Astronomical Society in Jeddah stressed that the rapprochement between the two planets is only an apparent rapprochement resulting from the geometric perspective from Earth, as Venus is about 180 million kilometers away from Earth, while Jupiter is located at a distance of approximately 900 million kilometers, and is actually separated by hundreds of millions of kilometers.
The relationship of the phenomenon to earthquakes and volcanoes
He denied the existence of any scientific relationship between this phenomenon and earthquakes, volcanoes, climate change, or any other terrestrial events, stressing Scientific studies have not proven any special effects of planetary conjunctions on humans, the environment, or the geological activity of the Earth.
He called on those wishing to follow the event to choose locations with an open western horizon, away from tall buildings and natural obstacles, and to begin monitoring about 30 to 45 minutes after sunset, as the two planets are most visible before they approach the horizon and set.
Abu Zahra concluded his speech by emphasizing that the conjunction of Venus Jupiter represents an ideal opportunity to contemplate the beauty of the universe and understand the mechanism of movement of the planets in the solar system, pointing out that these astronomical scenes combine visual enjoyment and scientific value, and remind people of the greatness and precision of the cosmic system in which we live.
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