Venus (pictured from the ISS) and Mercury will be close to each other after sunset, with the best time to view the conjunction occurring on March 10. (Image courtesy of NASA)
The unique planetary parade that brought all seven of Earth’s neighbors into the night sky is finally coming to an end — but not before the final chords sound from the two planets closest to the sun. If you can find a view of the western horizon on Monday, March 10, you’ll be able to see a rare conjunction between Venus and Mercury, the solar system’s two inner planets. This will happen before they disappear completely into the sun’s light on subsequent nights.
Although Venus and Mercury will only be visible briefly after sunset, it is unusual to see them so close together. When two celestial objects appear close to each other in the sky, it is called a conjunction. This will happen over several nights, but the best time to see them will be on March 10, when Venus and Mercury will be visible about half an hour after sunset and will remain in view for about 45 minutes.
The event will be visible to the naked eye, although a pair of astronomical binoculars may be helpful. Perhaps more important will be an open view to the west and clear skies, as the conjunction will pass very close to the horizon.
The conjunction of the two inner planets is due to celestial mechanics. Venus, which completes its orbit around the sun in 225 days, is currently moving along the inner trajectory of Earth and is closest to the planet this month. It appears as a crescent moon in a telescope when viewed from Earth, and will pass in front of the sun from Earth's perspective on March 22. It will be lost in sunlight for several weeks, and will not reappear in the predawn sky until April.
Mercury, which orbits the sun every 88 days, will reach its highest point in the evening sky on March 8. Although Mercury is rising and Venus is falling, both will soon disappear from the evening sky.
Once Venus and Mercury have left the stage, some remnants of the “planetary parade” will be visible after sunset. Since Saturn is already lost in the sunlight from Earth's perspective as it moves behind the Sun on March 12, the only planets that will remain visible to the naked eye in the night sky will be Mars and Jupiter.
As we bid farewell to the planetary parade, you can look forward to a total lunar eclipse that will be visible from North America on the night of March 13-14. Here are the places to get the best views.
TOPICS Solar System Jamie CarterSocial Links NavigationLive Science Member
Jamie Carter is a freelance journalist and regular Live Science contributor based in Cardiff, UK. He is the author of A Stargazing Program For Beginners and lectures on astronomy and ecology. Jamie regularly writes for Space.com, TechRadar.com, Forbes Science, BBC Wildlife magazine, and Scientific American, among other publications. He edits WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com.
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