Jupiter and Venus conjunction dazzles amateur astronomers
Jupiter and Venus last night appeared next to each other in the night sky in a display that delighted amateur astronomers.
The planets are 450 million miles apart in space, but because they are aligned in the same direction from Earth they last night appeared just three degrees apart.
They were visible towards the West just after sunset and before the stars appeared. They will appear bright and relatively close over the next few weeks, and will be most visible in rural areas where there is less light pollution.
Venus is brighter because of its relative closeness to Earth and because it gets more intense sunlight than Jupiter.
After March 14, Jupiter will drop lower until it is eventually invisible after sunset by mid-April.
But in July, early-risers will be treated to a similar spectacle, in the eastern sky at daybreak.
"Although conjunctions are not that rare, the interest in this one is a result of how spectacular it is," said Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society.
''Both planets are very bright in the night sky. If you know where to look, you can even see Venus in the day. The two being so close together will be beautiful. Last night they looked like two beacons.
''It is also interesting for people because it just happens to be something which you can see for yourself. In the northern hemisphere we should look for them in the south west this evening. The pair will appear to move to the west over the course of the night.
''While the pair will drift apart after a couple of days, Jupiter will be visible for at least another two weeks.''
Last Monday, Mars made its closest pass of earth in more than two years.
