Overview
- News outlets are previewing a multi‑day sequence in early to mid‑June when Mercury, Venus and Jupiter will appear close together along the ecliptic and be visible without a telescope.
- The run begins with Venus and Jupiter appearing very near each other, followed by a tighter three‑planet grouping a few days later, and ends with improved visibility of Mercury as it moves farther from the Sun.
- Viewers should look to the west‑northwest about 30 to 60 minutes after sunset and choose a low, clear horizon because Mercury will sit closest to the horizon and be the hardest to spot.
- Venus will be the brightest object, Jupiter will also be prominent, and a thin crescent Moon joins the lineup near the end of the sequence to create especially photogenic scenes.
- Astronomers stress this is a perspective effect along the ecliptic, not a physical line of planets, and large real distances separate the bodies even when they appear close in the sky.