Overview
- Skywatchers should face the west‑northwest roughly 30 to 90 minutes after local sunset to catch Mercury, Venus and Jupiter gathered along the ecliptic.
- Mercury is the hardest to spot because it hugs the horizon and will likely only be visible through about June 15, while Venus will be the brightest and Jupiter noticeably dimmer.
- Small optics such as binoculars or a 4–6 inch telescope improve views and telescopes can reveal phases: Venus about 80% illuminated and Mercury near a half phase.
- Photographers can capture the trio without a telescope using 50–85 mm lenses for simple landscape framing, and planetariums and public observatories have held outreach events and livestreams to help viewers.
- Space weather forecasters are watching a June 11 coronal mass ejection that could glance Earth around June 13 and possibly drive aurora farther south, but timing and strength remain uncertain.