Venus-Jupiter conjunction: How to catch Venus and Jupiter's brief embrace before they drift apart

In the early hours of 12 August, Venus and Jupiter appeared so close together that they resembled a double star in the dawn twilight. According to NASA, this rare alignment, known as a planetary conjunction, occurs when orbital paths bring planets close from our vantage point on Earth. The two worlds, still tens of millions of miles apart in reality, rose together in the east from around 3am and remained visible until shortly after 6am, depending on location.

The pair shone in the constellation Gemini, climbing to about 20 degrees above the horizon before fading in the glare of the rising Sun. Venus remains the brightest object in the night sky after the Moon, with Jupiter following closely behind.

Venus-Jupiter conjunction: Views for all, from naked eye to telescope
“Spotting Venus and Jupiter in the sky shouldn’t require any special equipment or much astronomical expertise,” NASA said in its August skywatching guide. The conjunction was visible without aid, but binoculars or a backyard telescope offered richer views.

Through a telescope, observers could pick out Jupiter’s cloud bands and, if timed correctly, its Great Red Spot – a vast storm twice the width of Earth that comes into view about once every ten hours. Venus, meanwhile, displayed moon-like phases, something only visible through optical instruments, taking 584 days to complete a full cycle.

Moonlight and Meteors share the sky
This planetary meeting coincided with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. The waning gibbous Moon, 90 to 95 per cent illuminated after the full Sturgeon Moon, reduced meteor visibility but did little to diminish the planets’ brilliance.

The Moon rose in the west while Venus and Jupiter climbed in the east, giving skywatchers the chance to shield its glare behind trees or buildings. For some, it was a chance to see a shooting star and a planetary conjunction before breakfast.

Those who missed the peak can still catch the pair in the pre-dawn sky over the coming days. The planets will gradually move apart through August, with Mercury set to rise into view later in the month, creating a wider planetary line-up.

Venus-Jupiter conjunction: A rare celestial geometry
The Planetary Society explains that conjunctions occur when planets orbiting the Sun at different speeds line up on the same side from our perspective. This apparent closeness is an optical effect, but it offers a unique opportunity to see multiple planets in one frame of the sky.

Venus-Jupiter conjunction: How to watch safely
Experts warn against using telescopes or binoculars too close to sunrise to avoid accidental exposure to the Sun, which can cause permanent eye damage. The best viewing is from a flat eastern horizon, free of tall buildings or trees, and well before the Sun breaches the skyline.