A cosmic wonder is about to appear in the night sky as one of the brightest objects in our solar system meets up with one of the biggest – at least, from our vantage on Earth.
Venus and Saturn are due for a visually striking event known as a planetary conjunction. The cosmic rendezvous presents spectators with a rare opportunity to observe a phenomenon in which at least two celestial bodies appear to be near one another.
While both planets were part of a recent spectacular six-planet alignment, colloquially known as a “planet parade,” they have not appeared as a pair for some time.
And for skygazers in California, witnessing the phenomenon should be incredibly easy from Earth – as long as pesky clouds don’t spoil the view.
Here’s what to know about the Saturn and Venus conjunction and how to see the celestial objects sharing a section of the night sky from California.
What is a planetary conjunction?
A conjunction is an astronomical event in which at least two planets appear to be close together in the sky from Earth.
Even though the planets are in reality still tens of millions – or even billions – of miles apart, the events present a special opportunity for astronomers and casual stargazers to see multiple worlds in our solar system at one time.
So, what causes conjunctions to take place?
As planets in our solar system orbit the sun at varying speeds, sometimes their orbital paths bring them close together on the same side of the sun. When this event lines up with our view from Earth, we get a conjunction, according to the nonprofit Planetary Society.
When is the conjunction? See Venus, Saturn together in sky
Venus and Saturn are due to have a cosmic meetup that should be visible to us here on Earth on Sunday, March 8, NASA said in a monthly skywatching guide.
Those who look up that night have not only a chance at seeing Venus – one of the brightest objects in the sky, after the sun – but Saturn, the sixth planet from the sun and the second largest in the solar system after Jupiter.
Will cloudy weather spoil the conjunction? What to know about California forecast
Of course, clouds in the sky could hamper the view.
The National Weather Service shared a graphic showing cloud cover on the night of Sunday, March 8 in California, when the celestial conjunction would be best seen.
The numbers represent the percentage of cloud cover, while the gray areas are the cloudiest.
Where, how can you see celestial conjunction in California? Tips
For those across the U.S., including California residents, spotting the conjunction shouldn’t prove too difficult.
After sunset, look near the western horizon.
Venus and Saturn will be about one degree apart, “which is roughly the width of a single finger if you hold it at arm’s length,” Chelsea Gohd, a science communicator at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, explained in a video.
Telescopes certainly will enhance the view – and may even unveil Saturn’s rings – but spectators don’t need any equipment to spot Saturn and Venus in the pre-dawn sky.
Best spots to see planetary conjunction in California? Dark sky locations
The best place to see any time of astronomical event is away from city light pollution.
Want to find a dark area near you? DarkSky International is a U.S nonprofit that maintains a list of designated dark sky communities around the world, including 171 in the United States.
That includes these locations in California:
In Central California, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and Yosemite National Park are good bets for seeing celestial light shows.
Shasta, Siskiyou, and other North State counties offer excellent places to view the night sky. On the North State coast, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is also a prime night sky-watching location.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: How to see Venus and Saturn meet in the California sky for conjunction
Reporting by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
