Will you see the Jupiter-Mercury conjunction on August 15?

This is going to be a tough one! But give it a try if you have a clear view to the east before sunrise on the mornings around August 15. How long before? Not long. You’ll have to wait for bright morning twilight – that is, until shortly before sunrise – to see Jupiter ascend over your eastern horizon. You might catch it, because Jupiter itself is bright! Mercury is fainter. But it’ll be only about one full moon width from Jupiter. Use binoculars, if you have them, to scan near the eastern horizon. After their eye-catching close encounter, Jupiter will climb higher each day in the eastern predawn sky. But Mercury will soon slip away. Chart via EarthSky.

Jupiter-Mercury conjunction August 15, 2026

Here’s a binocular view of Mercury and Jupiter in the morning twilight on August 15. Binoculars will make the planets much easier to see! Both Jupiter and Mercury will float among the stars of Cancer the Crab. At their closest, they’ll be 0.6 degree apart. So if you extend your pinky at arm’s length, you’ll be able to hide both the planets behind it. Don’t miss this conjunction if your sky allows! Chart via EarthSky.

What’s a conjunction?

Astronomers use the word conjunction to describe meetings of planets, stars and other objects in the night sky. The word conjunction comes from Latin, meaning to join together. In modern English language, conjunctions relate to clauses brought together with words like and. In astronomy, conjunctions relate to two or more objects brought together in the sky.

Technically speaking, objects are said to be in conjunction when they have the same right ascension – sort of like celestial longitude – on our sky’s dome.

Practically speaking, objects in conjunction will likely be visible near each other for some days.

Sometimes one of these objects in a conjunction is the sun, so the conjunction can’t be seen. But other conjunctions – between stars, our moon and the planets – can be truly spectacular.

Here’s what the word “conjunction” means to astronomers. You have to think of the whole sky as being divided up into a grid system, like longitude and latitude on Earth. Astronomers call the longitudinal component right ascension. And they call the latitudinal component declination. Technically speaking, 2 objects are said to be in conjunction when they have the same right ascension on our sky’s dome. And that’s what this illustration is showing. It’s showing you exactly what astronomers mean when they say the word conjunction.

We can’t see an inferior conjunction

An inferior conjunction is when an object passes between us and the sun. Any object that orbits the sun closer than Earth does might pass through inferior conjunction from time to time. That is assuming its orbit lies more or less close to the ecliptic.

Usually, though, when astronomers speak of an inferior conjunction, they’re talking about Venus or Mercury, which orbit between Earth and the sun. Astronomers sometimes refer to Venus and Mercury as inferior planets. When they’re at or near inferior conjunction, we generally can’t see them. They’re hidden in the sun’s glare. Occasionally, though, Venus or Mercury at inferior conjunction can be seen to transit across the sun’s disk.

We shouldn’t forget the moon here. It passes between Earth and the sun at new moon once each month. Therefore it would be correct, if a little unusual, to say that the moon is at inferior conjunction when it’s at its new phase.

This chart uses the orbit of Venus to show the the points of inferior and superior conjunction. Venus was last at inferior conjunction on March 23, 2025, and will be in that position again on October 24, 2026. It was last at superior conjunction on January 6, 2026, and will be in that position again on August 11, 2027. Chart via EarthSky.

We can’t see a superior conjunction either

A superior conjunction is when an object passes behind the sun from our point of view. Look at Venus’ orbit in the diagram above. Half of its conjunctions with the sun – when they come together on our sky’s dome – are inferior conjunctions. And half are superior conjunctions. It’s fun to imagine the inferior planets on an endless cycle of passing in front of the sun, as seen from Earth, then behind it, and back again, like squirrels running around a tree.

Meanwhile, the superior planets – or planets farther from the sun than Earth – can never be at inferior conjunction. Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune can never pass between us and the sun. So the superior planets only have superior conjunctions.

But other conjunctions can look beautiful

The most common – and most exciting – type of conjunction doesn’t involve the sun. Any time two objects pass each other on the sky’s dome, they’re said to be at conjunction. This sort of conjunction – maybe between two planets, or a planet and a star, or a star and the moon – happens multiple times every month. They are beautiful. The view can stop you in your tracks.

For example, if you were fortunate enough to have looked at the moon on July 21, 1969, the day that Neil Armstrong took the first step on the moon’s Sea of Tranquility, you’d have seen the moon in conjunction with Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. They were only about 2 degrees apart that night. That’s a bit more than the width of your index finger held out at arm’s length.

There are always a few particularly good conjunctions every year. On June 8-9, 2026, we were treated to a spectacular conjunction between bright planets Venus and Jupiter, as you can see below. Click here to see a full gallery of Venus-Jupiter conjunction photos captured by members of the EarthSky community.

Watch for and enjoy conjunctions

People often think about the night sky as being permanent and unchanging, at least on a human scale. If you watch the skies often, though, you’ve surely noticed that’s not true. The stars don’t move relative to each other, but they do move across the sky over the course of a single night, as Earth spins under the sky. And, from one night to the next, each star rises and sets four minutes earlier each day, as Earth moves around the sun.

Once you’ve found the ecliptic – the sun’s path across the sky – you can see where the real action is. Because they are relatively close to us, the planets and moon do move relative to each other and the stars, and quickly, from our point of view. They change their positions, appear to move closer together and farther apart, and sometimes pass by each other in the sky coming to conjunction. Of all of the pleasures of stargazing, seeing this movement of our nearest neighbors is one of the greatest.

Stay up to date with upcoming conjunctions via EarthSky’s night sky guide.

Planetary conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on May 22, 2024, as seen by SOHO’s LASCO C3 imagery equipment aboard the spacecraft. Image via NOAA.

Bottom line: A conjunction is when two objects share the same right ascension. It means two objects are close on our sky’s dome. You hear a specific date for conjunctions. But, practically speaking, two objects near conjunction are near each other for some days. The Jupiter-Mercury conjunction of August 15 is the next planetary conjunction. Look for them before sunrise.

The post Will you see the Jupiter-Mercury conjunction on August 15? first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/TW4fvca

This is going to be a tough one! But give it a try if you have a clear view to the east before sunrise on the mornings around August 15. How long before? Not long. You’ll have to wait for bright morning twilight – that is, until shortly before sunrise – to see Jupiter ascend over your eastern horizon. You might catch it, because Jupiter itself is bright! Mercury is fainter. But it’ll be only about one full moon width from Jupiter. Use binoculars, if you have them, to scan near the eastern horizon. After their eye-catching close encounter, Jupiter will climb higher each day in the eastern predawn sky. But Mercury will soon slip away. Chart via EarthSky.

Jupiter-Mercury conjunction August 15, 2026

Here’s a binocular view of Mercury and Jupiter in the morning twilight on August 15. Binoculars will make the planets much easier to see! Both Jupiter and Mercury will float among the stars of Cancer the Crab. At their closest, they’ll be 0.6 degree apart. So if you extend your pinky at arm’s length, you’ll be able to hide both the planets behind it. Don’t miss this conjunction if your sky allows! Chart via EarthSky.

What’s a conjunction?

Astronomers use the word conjunction to describe meetings of planets, stars and other objects in the night sky. The word conjunction comes from Latin, meaning to join together. In modern English language, conjunctions relate to clauses brought together with words like and. In astronomy, conjunctions relate to two or more objects brought together in the sky.

Technically speaking, objects are said to be in conjunction when they have the same right ascension – sort of like celestial longitude – on our sky’s dome.

Practically speaking, objects in conjunction will likely be visible near each other for some days.

Sometimes one of these objects in a conjunction is the sun, so the conjunction can’t be seen. But other conjunctions – between stars, our moon and the planets – can be truly spectacular.

Here’s what the word “conjunction” means to astronomers. You have to think of the whole sky as being divided up into a grid system, like longitude and latitude on Earth. Astronomers call the longitudinal component right ascension. And they call the latitudinal component declination. Technically speaking, 2 objects are said to be in conjunction when they have the same right ascension on our sky’s dome. And that’s what this illustration is showing. It’s showing you exactly what astronomers mean when they say the word conjunction.

We can’t see an inferior conjunction

An inferior conjunction is when an object passes between us and the sun. Any object that orbits the sun closer than Earth does might pass through inferior conjunction from time to time. That is assuming its orbit lies more or less close to the ecliptic.

Usually, though, when astronomers speak of an inferior conjunction, they’re talking about Venus or Mercury, which orbit between Earth and the sun. Astronomers sometimes refer to Venus and Mercury as inferior planets. When they’re at or near inferior conjunction, we generally can’t see them. They’re hidden in the sun’s glare. Occasionally, though, Venus or Mercury at inferior conjunction can be seen to transit across the sun’s disk.

We shouldn’t forget the moon here. It passes between Earth and the sun at new moon once each month. Therefore it would be correct, if a little unusual, to say that the moon is at inferior conjunction when it’s at its new phase.

This chart uses the orbit of Venus to show the the points of inferior and superior conjunction. Venus was last at inferior conjunction on March 23, 2025, and will be in that position again on October 24, 2026. It was last at superior conjunction on January 6, 2026, and will be in that position again on August 11, 2027. Chart via EarthSky.

We can’t see a superior conjunction either

A superior conjunction is when an object passes behind the sun from our point of view. Look at Venus’ orbit in the diagram above. Half of its conjunctions with the sun – when they come together on our sky’s dome – are inferior conjunctions. And half are superior conjunctions. It’s fun to imagine the inferior planets on an endless cycle of passing in front of the sun, as seen from Earth, then behind it, and back again, like squirrels running around a tree.

Meanwhile, the superior planets – or planets farther from the sun than Earth – can never be at inferior conjunction. Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune can never pass between us and the sun. So the superior planets only have superior conjunctions.

But other conjunctions can look beautiful

The most common – and most exciting – type of conjunction doesn’t involve the sun. Any time two objects pass each other on the sky’s dome, they’re said to be at conjunction. This sort of conjunction – maybe between two planets, or a planet and a star, or a star and the moon – happens multiple times every month. They are beautiful. The view can stop you in your tracks.

For example, if you were fortunate enough to have looked at the moon on July 21, 1969, the day that Neil Armstrong took the first step on the moon’s Sea of Tranquility, you’d have seen the moon in conjunction with Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. They were only about 2 degrees apart that night. That’s a bit more than the width of your index finger held out at arm’s length.

There are always a few particularly good conjunctions every year. On June 8-9, 2026, we were treated to a spectacular conjunction between bright planets Venus and Jupiter, as you can see below. Click here to see a full gallery of Venus-Jupiter conjunction photos captured by members of the EarthSky community.

Watch for and enjoy conjunctions

People often think about the night sky as being permanent and unchanging, at least on a human scale. If you watch the skies often, though, you’ve surely noticed that’s not true. The stars don’t move relative to each other, but they do move across the sky over the course of a single night, as Earth spins under the sky. And, from one night to the next, each star rises and sets four minutes earlier each day, as Earth moves around the sun.

Once you’ve found the ecliptic – the sun’s path across the sky – you can see where the real action is. Because they are relatively close to us, the planets and moon do move relative to each other and the stars, and quickly, from our point of view. They change their positions, appear to move closer together and farther apart, and sometimes pass by each other in the sky coming to conjunction. Of all of the pleasures of stargazing, seeing this movement of our nearest neighbors is one of the greatest.

Stay up to date with upcoming conjunctions via EarthSky’s night sky guide.

Planetary conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on May 22, 2024, as seen by SOHO’s LASCO C3 imagery equipment aboard the spacecraft. Image via NOAA.

Bottom line: A conjunction is when two objects share the same right ascension. It means two objects are close on our sky’s dome. You hear a specific date for conjunctions. But, practically speaking, two objects near conjunction are near each other for some days. The Jupiter-Mercury conjunction of August 15 is the next planetary conjunction. Look for them before sunrise.

The post Will you see the Jupiter-Mercury conjunction on August 15? first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/TW4fvca