Two of the brightest planets in our sky, Venus and Jupiter, will shine close together in a celestial meetup just after sunset Tuesday night. The best part is, you don\u2019t need a telescope or binoculars to view this astronomical feat and the skies will be clear.<\/span><\/p>\n A conjunction like this occurs when two planets appear near each other from our point of view on Earth, even though they\u2019re still millions of miles apart in space. Over the past several weeks, Venus has \u201dcaught up\u201d to Jupiter, and both now appear only about 1.5 degrees apart, presenting \u201canother excellent opportunity for photographers to catch this,\u201d said John Gianforte, director of the University of New Hampshire Observatory. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFrom our perspective on Earth, they just appear close together in the sky from where we sit in space, but the truth is that Jupiter lies far beyond Venus,\u201d said Gianforte. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThis happens because the planets orbit the sun along nearly the same path in our sky, called the ecliptic,\u201d NASA says. <\/span><\/p>\n From Thursday, June 11 until June 15, Mercury joins the scene, creating \u201ca mini-parade of planets low in the western sky,\u201d according to NASA. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLook low in the western sky beginning just around sunset \u2014 around 8:20 p.m.,” Gianforte said. \u201cVenus will be the brightest and easiest to spot, and Jupiter will be nearby. If you have a clear unobstructed view of the western horizon, you might even be able to catch speedy little Mercury to the lower right of the Venus-Jupiter pairing. Mercury will be fainter than Venus and Jupiter, and binoculars will be a help here.\u201d The waning crescent moon tonight won\u2019t interfere with any stargazing.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNope. Watching this close conjunction with just your eyes is the best way to enjoy it,\u201d he said. \u201cBinoculars will provide a zoomed-in view, but using just your eyes will give you the best perspective. For photographers, a telephoto lens of 150-300mm will help capture this conjunction when the planets are closest together. A camera tripod will also be helpful.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n The Perseids meteor shower <\/a>will be active from July 17 to Aug. 24, peaking on Aug. 12-13. If the skies are dark enough, anywhere between 50 and 100 meteors can race through the night sky each hour. And a new moon is scheduled on Aug. 12, so conditions will be optimal for viewing these bright streaking meteors.<\/span><\/p>\n Gianforte says planetary pairings like tonight\u2019s \u201cmake it easy to go out and enjoy some special views that nature provides us. There are lots of other sights in the night sky that warrant a little of your time. Get in touch with a local amateur astronomy club or a university Astronomy Department. They will sometimes sponsor observing nights.\u201d He suggests some good places to start are:<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022 North Shore Area Astronomy Club<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n \u2022 The Gloucester Area Astronomy Club<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n \u2022 Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n \u2022 The UNH Observatory<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Marianne Mizera can be reached at marianne.mizera@globe.com<\/a>. Follow her @MareMizera<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhen\u2019s the best time to view the conjunction tonight?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Any special viewing equipment needed?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
What\u2019s coming up next in stargazing?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
How can people enjoy more of what the night sky has to offer?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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