Planetary conjunction: Mars, Venus, Moon set to align on July 12-13

Bengaluru’s Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), on July 8, 2021, announced that Mars and Venus will be closest to each other in the sky on July 13, 2021, and the Moon will also come close within 4 degrees of both planets on July 12, 2021.

Astronomical enthusiasts would be able to watch this planetary conjunction with naked eyes.

The Mars and Venus conjunction will be visible from anywhere in India. As per the IIA, both the planets will be visible on the western horizon under clear weather conditions just after sunset.

Planetary conjunction: Mars and Venus will be closest to each other

•Mars and Venus will be closest to each other on July 13, 2021. Such a celestial event is known as planetary conjunction wherein two planets appear to be closer to each other but, they are far away in space.

•From Earth, both Mars and Venus will appear to be 0.5 degrees apart.

•Both the planets could be spotted with a telescope or binoculars in the same frame.

When was last planet conjunction between Mars and Venus?

•The last time, the planetary conjunction between Mars and Venus happened on August 24, 2019, however, the planets were not visible with the naked eyes.

•The planetary conjunction between both planets that occurred on October 5, 2017, was the last visible event.

•The next planetary conjunction between Mars and Venus is expected to occur on February 22, 2024, and a conjunction as close as the one happening on July 12, 2021, will occur on May 11, 2034.

What is planetary conjunction?

•Planetary conjunction is a celestial event wherein two planets appear to be closer to each other but, they are far away in space.

Mars, Venus, and Earth: Did you know?

•Mars orbits at an average distance of 228 million km from the Sun and Venus at an average distance of 108 million km from the Sun.

•Mars comes as close to Earth as 55.7 million km while Venus comes as close as 38 million km to Earth.