Posted: 22:01, 30 April 2022 | Updated: 22:09, 30 April 2022
Astrologers were enjoying a cosmic delight this weekend as two of the brightest planets in the solar system appear to be close to colliding in the night sky. Venus and Jupiter are about 430 million miles apart, but from Earth they seem to touch almost a rare celestial spectacle known as the planetary summit. The phenomenon occurs every year as the planets orbit the sun, but this weekend the celestial bodies appear much closer than usual. The same spectacle will not be repeated until 2039. If there is a clear sky, the naked eye or binoculars will be enough to see the planets just above the horizon to the east. Venus, the brightest of the twins, will appear just 0.2 degrees – smaller than the diameter of a full moon – south of Jupiter. The planets are more visible just before dawn in the coming weeks as they begin to slowly move away. HEAVENLY spectacle: Jupiter and Venus look big in the sky above Rocca Calascio castle in central Italy before sunrise yesterday Synod is when two planets appear near or even touching, in the night sky. Aphrodite and Jupiter seem to be slowly closing in on each other in the last days before meeting at their own meeting. The best time to see this was at 5 this morning, just before sunrise. The planets are now so bright that if the skies are clear, they are clearly visible to the naked eye. Telescope enthusiasts can see features of Jupiter or some of its larger moons. It is also possible to take a rare look at Mars and Saturn in the same part of the sky, which seems to form a line of four planets. Zeus, named after the king of the Roman gods, is the third brightest object in the night sky after the moon and Venus. It has been admired since prehistoric times. Venus, which will remain visible before dawn until September, is the second planet from the Sun and was named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. Jupiter (left) and Venus (right) are about 430 million miles apart, but from Earth they seem to touch almost a rare celestial spectacle known as the planetary summit. With the planets looking low in the sky, astrologers who have not yet seen the spectacle are advised to find a high point or an unrestricted view of a clear night to see the dazzling duo. “It’s very exciting for astronomers and it’s a really great opportunity for people to go out and have a look,” Professor Lucie Green, chief observer at the Society for Popular Astronomy, told the BBC. “The planets will differ in their brightness. Venus is brighter than Jupiter, so it will look dazzlingly bright when you see it. “Jupiter will be slightly fainter, about one-sixth of Venus’ luminosity,” he said.
