This Saturday, Venus will glide between Earth and the sun in a celestial event known as an inferior conjunction, set to peak around 9 p.m. EDT. However, skywatchers hoping to catch a glimpse of this alignment will be out of luck unless they’re armed with specialized equipment and expertise. The dazzling glare of the sun will render Venus nearly invisible to the naked eye, making it a challenging spectacle for casual observers.
“The glare from the sun makes it really, really difficult to see,” explained Michelle Nichols of Chicago’s Adler Planetarium. An inferior conjunction occurs when Venus swings between Earth and the sun, an event that happens roughly every 19 months due to the planets’ orbital paths. Astronomer Geary Albright from James Madison University affectionately dubbed it a “Venus kiss,” highlighting the close proximity of the two planets during this alignment.
Also Read: UNESCO: Global Glacier Ice Loss Hits Record High
Venus, much like the moon, goes through phases. In the days surrounding the conjunction, it takes on a thin crescent shape—though only a telescope can reveal this delicate sliver. For those eager to track its journey, Venus will transition from the evening sky, where it shines brightly near the horizon just after sunset in the nights leading up to Saturday, to the morning sky by Sunday, appearing just before sunrise. Nichols advises caution: “Take precaution to not stare directly at the sun.”
While this weekend’s event may not dazzle the average onlooker, it offers a valuable chance for scientists to study planetary movements. “Get a chance to get to know Venus,” Nichols urged. The planet has long captured human imagination—Paul McCartney’s song “The Kiss of Venus” was inspired by a book chapter on this very phenomenon. Adding to the intrigue, NASA has two upcoming missions aimed at unraveling Venus’s mysteries, exploring its formation and the stark differences from Earth.
For now, Venus’s “kiss” with the sun may be a subtle affair, but it’s a reminder of the dynamic dance unfolding in our solar system. To catch its glow, look westward after sunset before Saturday or eastward before sunrise starting Sunday—just don’t expect to see the conjunction itself without serious gear.
Key Points:
Inferior Conjunction This Weekend: Venus will pass between Earth and the sun on Saturday, an event called an inferior conjunction, peaking around 9 p.m. EDT.
Difficult to Observe: The event will be nearly impossible to see without specialized equipment due to the sun’s overpowering glare, as noted by Michelle Nichols of Chicago’s Adler Planetarium.
Celestial Alignment: An inferior conjunction occurs every 19 months when Venus swings between Earth and the sun, a phenomenon dubbed a “Venus kiss” by astronomer Geary Albright of James Madison University.
Venus’s Phases: Around the conjunction, Venus appears as a thin crescent, visible only through telescopes, and shifts from the evening sky (visible after sunset before Saturday) to the morning sky (visible before sunrise starting Sunday).
Viewing Tips: In the nights leading up to Saturday, Venus can be spotted near the horizon after sunset as one of the sky’s brightest objects; post-conjunction, it appears before sunrise. Observers are warned not to look directly at the sun.
Scientific Significance: Though not a visual spectacle, the conjunction provides scientists an opportunity to study planetary movements and orbits.
Cultural and Future Interest: The event inspired Paul McCartney’s song “The Kiss of Venus,” and NASA’s upcoming missions will explore Venus’s formation and its divergence from Earth.
