The conjunction of Jupiter and Venus, which took place at the beginning of the month, is in the featured photo on the website Astronomy Picture of the Day this Wednesday (15). During closest approach, the planets were separated by a distance similar to the size of the Moon at full phase.
The planets were getting closer and closer in our perspective since February, but it was only on March 1st that they reached their closest approach, yielding incredible photos taken from different places around the world. In the case of this image, the photographer recorded the planets when they were about to reach maximum approach:
At the end of February, the planetary show was even more complete with the moon shining along with the duo. Already in this photo, taken at dusk, Venus appears brighter than Jupiter. Conjunctions happen when two objects (such as planets, asteroids, and even stars) appear to be close to each other in the night sky.
In the days following the meeting, Venus and Jupiter begin to move away; from the 10th, the gas giant disappeared under the horizon. It will still take a few years for these planets to unite in a new conjunction: they will only approach again in our observation perspective during the dawn of February 7, 2032.
upcoming astronomical events
Do not think that the planetary conjunction was the only astronomical event in March. On the 20th, at 6:25 pm Brasília time, the autumnal equinox will occur, which marks the beginning of autumn in the southern hemisphere and spring in the north. On this day, the two hemispheres of the planet will receive more or less the same amount of sunlight.
April will be a busy month: between the 16th and 25th, the Lyrid meteor shower will occur, whose peak should happen from the early hours of the 22nd to the 23rd. rare. As it will be night in Brazil, the phenomenon will not be visible.
Source: ETC
