Venus Meets Jupiter on August 12
The two brightest planets are coming together in an event that astronomers call a conjunction. Early risers on August 12 will have a chance to see Venus and Jupiter separated in the predawn sky by around 0.9 degrees.
How close is that? Hold your hand against the sky at arm’s length: the width of your little finger is about 1 degree.
After the Sun and the Moon, Venus and Jupiter are the third and fourth brightest natural objects in the sky. This brilliant pair will shine above the eastern horizon just before sunrise.
How Will It Look?
You can see Venus and Jupiter rising—from the perspective of your town or city—on our Night Sky Map using the link below. Hit the pause button to start the animation.
Show Venus & Jupiter rise on August 12At the same time, higher up in the sky, a just-past-Full Moon will be passing close to Saturn.
Show Saturn & the Moon on August 12And don’t forget this is the peak period of the Perseid Meteor Shower—making this an ideal date for some predawn skywatching.
Show the Perseid Meteor ShowerMars and Mercury Miss Out
What about Mars and Mercury? They’re not part of the show on August 12.
At the moment, Mars is an evening planet, appearing close to the western horizon after sunset.
Meanwhile, in the first half of August, Mercury is too close to the Sun to be visible. The solar system’s smallest planet passed between Earth and the Sun—an event known as inferior conjunction—on July 31.
Mercury Joins a Few Days Later
However, Mercury moves quickly. On August 19, it reaches its farthest distance from the Sun in the morning sky. Astronomers call this its greatest elongation west.
This means that, in the early mornings around August 19, Mercury may be fleetingly visible before the Sun rises.
Show Mercury rise on August 19WARNING: Never point binoculars or a telescope in the direction of the Sun—it can cause permanent eye damage. DO NOT try to observe objects close to the Sun while any part of the Sun is above the horizon.
A Planet Parade Around August 19
By August 19, Venus and Jupiter will have drifted apart—although they will still be near each other in the constellation Gemini.
Venus and Jupiter will be joined by the Moon, which has shrunk to a thin crescent. The parade of four planets plus the Moon is completed by Saturn, now left on its own in the other part of the sky.
In summary, August offers a fantastic chance to spot the planets before sunrise—along with the Moon and maybe even a few shooting stars lighting up the sky.