Venus and Jupiter make a striking pair this week with a conjunction just after sunset in the northwestern skies as they move close together.
The planets are easiest to spot around 45 to 60 minutes after sunset – currently around 5.30pm to 6pm, depending on the region. They will slowly set below the horizon about two to three hours after the sun goes down.
The best time to see them will be on the evenings from now until June 11, when they will appear just 1.5° apart.
Venus is the brightest out of the pair with a silver or blueish white light. While Jupiter appears slightly less bright but has warm/golden orange tint.
It is recommended to find a viewing spot with unobstructed view – such as a beach, park or hill with a clear line of sight to the skyline.
Stardome educator Josh Aoraki said the planets appeared visible to Earth annually around every 13 months.
“If you’re anywhere in the country, you're going to get a pretty decent view. The only thing you need really need is clear forecast, so, check the weather as long as you've got clear skies," he said.
“They will be in the western sky. So anywhere that has kind of a clear, unobstructed view of the West is going to be your best bet.”
“Anyone in the world is going to be able to see it. The planets are always on both hemispheres. So, anyone is going to be able to see them pretty close at the moment.
Aoraki said the best times to view the space spectacle would be from 5:30pm till 6.30pm. "That's going to be kind of best hour to see them.”
“Look for the two brightest things in the sky. Venus is really bright. It's the thirrd brightest object in the sky after the sun and the moon. Look for the really bright Venus and then, above that, you're going to have Jupiter and they're basically going to appear really close as if they're almost, you know, kind of flying together."
"The good thing about planets is you don't need any special equipment, but if anyone does have any of those at home, they are so close that you actually would be able to see both of them within the same field of view."
The effort was well worth, according to Kiwi stargazer Adam H: "We were so lucky to have a clear night and get such a good view from home. We are always looking up at the night sky and are so fortunate to have such dark skies in New Zealand," he said.
– By Tyra Harrison for 1News
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