Look east before dawn on Wednesday, Aug. 14, to witness a rare planetary conjunction where Jupiter and Mars will appear just a third of a degree apart in the sky.
In the early hours of Wednesday (Aug. 14), Jupiter and Mars, two of the brightest planets in our solar system, will come close together. This conjunction will be visible from around 2:00 a.m. local time until dawn. During this time, the planets will rise in the northeastern sky with the constellation Taurus and move about 50 degrees above the eastern horizon by daybreak.
Jupiter, which will be about 20 times brighter than Mars, and Mars will both be easily visible to the naked eye from any location with clear skies. However, using a good pair of binoculars or a small telescope will enhance the view, allowing you to see not only the planets more clearly but also Jupiter’s four largest moons. Ganymede and Callisto will flank Jupiter, while the volcanic moon Io and the potentially habitable Europa will be between Jupiter and Ganymede. Mars will appear slightly above Jupiter and its moons.
Despite the close appearance of the planets during this conjunction, it is merely an optical illusion. Mars will be in the foreground, while Jupiter is actually 300 million miles (500 million km) further away, according to EarthSky.
This planetary conjunction is the last of the year, with the next one occurring on Jan. 20, 2025, when Venus and Saturn will cross paths. However, skywatchers can look forward to the annual opposition of Saturn on Sept. 7, when Earth will be precisely between the sun and Saturn, making the ringed planet appear at its biggest, brightest, and best for the year. Any telescope will allow you to see Saturn’s unique ring pattern.