Venus will soon be ending its apparition in the western sky as the Evening Star and pass between Earth and Sun in what’s called inferior conjunction. In 2004 and 2012 this resulted in rare transits of Venus across the face of the Sun. Later this month the contrary situation will occur.
Venus will conjunct the Sun in right ascension on 2017 MAR 23 at 03:42 UT (22 at 22:42 CDT), with a declination 9° further north than the Sun. For a few days around this time it may be possible for observers north of the tropics to witness Venus as both a Morning Star and an Evening Star on the same date. It will appear as a slim 1% illuminated crescent in a telescope, but should still appear as bright as Jupiter to the naked eye. Of course being viewed in twilight makes this tricky.
I’ve created a chart that illustrates the relative positions of Venus and the Sun during the days surrounding this unusual inferior conjunction. It can be viewed at www.CurtRenz.com/venus.html
Photos and descriptions of Venus during its upcoming inferior conjunction would be welcome additions to this thread.
Venus will conjunct the Sun in right ascension on 2017 MAR 23 at 03:42 UT (22 at 22:42 CDT), with a declination 9° further north than the Sun. For a few days around this time it may be possible for observers north of the tropics to witness Venus as both a Morning Star and an Evening Star on the same date. It will appear as a slim 1% illuminated crescent in a telescope, but should still appear as bright as Jupiter to the naked eye. Of course being viewed in twilight makes this tricky.
I’ve created a chart that illustrates the relative positions of Venus and the Sun during the days surrounding this unusual inferior conjunction. It can be viewed at www.CurtRenz.com/venus.html
Photos and descriptions of Venus during its upcoming inferior conjunction would be welcome additions to this thread.
