A Grand Conjunction of four planets occurs early Wednesday morning, May 11, in the eastern sky; however, binoculars will be required to see all four planets involved. At around 4:30 a.m., during morning twilight, look low in the eastern sky to spot brilliant Venus and somewhat less brilliant Jupiter hovering only one-half degree apart from one another. Much dimmer Mercury lies about 2 degrees below the Venus-Jupiter pair, and still dimmer Mars lies about 5 degrees to the lower left. For three or four mornings before and after May 11, the same group of planets will be visible, though not in quite the same spectacular configuration.
A Grand Conjunction of four planets occurs early Wednesday morning, May 11, in the eastern sky; however, binoculars will be required to see all four planets involved. At around 4:30 a.m., during morning twilight, look low in the eastern sky to spot brilliant Venus and somewhat less brilliant Jupiter hovering only one-half degree apart from one another. Much dimmer Mercury lies about 2 degrees below the Venus-Jupiter pair, and still dimmer Mars lies about 5 degrees to the lower left. For three or four mornings before and after May 11, the same group of planets will be visible, though not in quite the same spectacular configuration.