Q156779

Picture of the Day · NASA

Jupiter and Venus from Earth

2026-06-07

It was visible around the world. The sunset conjunction of Jupiter (left) and Venus (right) in 2012 was visible almost no matter where you lived on Earth. Anyone on our planet with a clear western horizon at sunset could see them. That year, a creative photographer traveled away from the town lights of Szubin, Poland to photograph a near closest approach of the two planets. The bright planets were then separated by only three degrees and his daughter struck a humorous pose. A faint red sunset still glowed in the background. Jupiter and Venus are together again this week after sunset, passing within a degree of each other about two days from today.

© Marek Nikodem (PPSAE) · via NASA APOD

Key facts

Discovered by

Joel Hastings Metcalf

Discovery site

Winchester, Massachusetts

Discovery date

9 February 1912

Pronunciation

/ w ɒ t ˈ s oʊ n i ə /

Alternative designations

1912 OD

Observation arc

98.79 yr (36082 d)