NEW YORK. Venus will pass directly between the Earth and the sun this Saturday, marking what astronomers call an inferior conjunction. However, skywatchers should not expect a dramatic celestial event, as Venus will be nearly impossible to see without specialized equipment.
Why You Won’t See It? Unlike a solar eclipse, Venus’ passage between the sun and Earth is invisible to the naked eye. The sun’s overwhelming brightness makes it extremely difficult to spot the planet.
“The glare from the sun makes it really, really difficult to see,” explained Michelle Nichols from Chicago’s Adler Planetarium.
A conjunction occurs when two celestial bodies appear close together in the sky. In an inferior conjunction, Venus moves between Earth and the sun, aligning almost perfectly. This event takes place roughly every 19 months due to the orbital patterns of Venus and Earth.
The precise moment of this weekend’s inferior conjunction is expected to occur around 9 p.m. EDT on Saturday.
“Some people call that a Venus kiss because we’re extremely close together,” said Geary Albright, an astronomer at James Madison University.
Much like the moon, Venus goes through phases. Leading up to the conjunction, it appears as a thin crescent, a view only visible through telescopes. After the conjunction, Venus will transition from the evening sky to the morning sky, becoming visible near the horizon just before sunrise in the coming days.
For those hoping to catch a glimpse of Venus before it disappears, a flat, unobstructed area with a clear view of the horizon is best. Just after sunset, the planet appears as one of the brightest objects in the sky before it sets.
Looking Ahead: Venus in Science and Culture
While this weekend’s event isn’t a visual spectacle, it provides an opportunity for scientists to observe planetary motion and track Venus’ position in space.
“Get a chance to get to know Venus,” Nichols encouraged.
Venus has long been a source of inspiration beyond astronomy. Paul McCartney’s song “The Kiss of Venus” was partially inspired by a book chapter describing this very celestial event. Additionally, upcoming NASA missions will turn the spotlight on Venus, aiming to understand how the planet formed and why it evolved so differently from Earth.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
- Gary P Hernalhttps://tutubi.ph/author/gary-hernal/
- Gary P Hernalhttps://tutubi.ph/author/gary-hernal/
- Gary P Hernalhttps://tutubi.ph/author/gary-hernal/
- Gary P Hernalhttps://tutubi.ph/author/gary-hernal/
