Venus and Jupiter

Venus and Jupiter will be visible near each other in the western sky Tuesday and Wednesday in a rare conjunction event.

The planets, which are hundreds of millions of kilometres from each other, will for a short period of time seem to be galactic neighbours, passing very close.

It will be the closest conjunction of the two planets until August 2016.

Currently Venus is travelling at 35 kilometres per second whilst Jupiter is travelling at 14 kilometres per second.

Venus is currently 40 million kilometres distance from Earth and Jupiter is 588 million kilometres from Earth.

These shots were taken around 23:00, Venus is the brighter of the two planets.

Mars, Venus and the Moon

Three extra-terrestrial bodies in the same region of the sky this evening, low to the SSW at around 19:00.

Mars, Venus and the Moon, Mars is very faint and just visible above a very bright Venus; the moon is a beautiful waxing crescent.

Distances of all three bodies from Earth at the moment are approximately;

Mars = 302 million kilometres.

Venus = 237 million kilometres

Moon = 402000 kilometres.

 

Venus

Moon

Venus with Mars above

The Moon, Venus and a very faint Mars

Venus with Mars above

Venus