In Photos: See Venus And Jupiter’s Brilliant ‘Kiss’ In The Night Sky

InnovationScienceIn Photos: See Venus And Jupiter’s Brilliant ‘Kiss’ In The Night SkyByJamie Carter,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky.Follow AuthorJun 10, 2026, 02:00am EDTVenus and Jupiter appeared just 1.6 degrees apart in the post-sunset night sky on June 9, 2026. Gianluca Masi/The Virtual Telescope ProjectVenus and Jupiter appeared almost side-by-side after sunset on Tuesday, June 9, creating one of the most striking naked-eye planetary events of the year. The two brightest planets in the night sky reached conjunction low in the western twilight, appearing almost to “kiss” in a dazzling display visible to skywatchers around the world.The good news is that although the closest point of the conjunction — when Venus and Jupiter appeared to come within just 1.6 degrees of each other — is now over, you can enjoy seeing the planets within a few degrees of each other all this week. The best time to look is about 45 minutes after sunset, when the planets become visible in the deepening twilight before setting roughly an hour later.Venus and Jupiter in conjunction as seen from Cardiff, Wales, on June 9, 2026. Jamie CarterA Brilliant Planetary PairingThe conjunction occurred as Venus, traveling along its faster inner orbit around the sun, appeared to catch up with Jupiter from Earth’s perspective. Though the planets seemed close together, the effect was entirely one of line-of-sight alignment.Venus easily dominated the scene. Shining about seven times brighter than Jupiter, it earned its nickname as the brilliant “Evening Star” above the western horizon, with Jupiter glowing nearby against the fading twilight. The pair were close enough to fit comfortably within the same binocular field of view. The display resembled a bright double star hanging above the sunset glow.MORE FOR YOUJupiter (left) and Venus (right) "dressing" a elegant, colorfu...