06/29/2015 – Ephemeris – Did tomorrow’s conjunction between Venus and Jupiter happen before?

Ephemeris for Monday, June 29th.  Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 32 minutes, setting at 9:32.   The Moon, 2 days before full, will set at 4:56 tomorrow morning and tomorrow the Sun will rise at 6:00.

Tonight the planet Jupiter will be a bit more than the width of the Moon away from Venus.  Tomorrow that distance will be cut in half as Jupiter will pass directly above Venus.  This is a second of two conjunctions that are a near repeat of two conjunctions that some, including myself have speculated as being what the Magi reported as the Star of Bethlehem in 3 and 2 BC.  On August 12th 3 BC in the predawn sky Jupiter and Venus were a third of a moon width apart,  Then on June 17th 2 BC they were in conjunction again but even closer .  Last year we had a close conjunction of the two on August, 18th and the two will be in conjunction, and again tomorrow.  Neither are as close as they were in 3 and 2 BC.

Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Jupiter and Venus at 10:30 tonight June 29, 2015, one day before their conjunction. Created using Stellarium.

The orbits of Venus and Jupiter for the conjunction of June 30, 2015. The bright star to the upper left is Regulus.  Created using Stellarium.

A telescopic view of what we expect the positions of Jupiter and Venus at 10:30 p.m. EDT June 30, 2015 (2:20 UT July 1, 2015). Created using Stellarium.

The orbits of Venus and Jupiter for the conjunction of June 17, 2 BC. The bright star to the lower right is Regulus.  Created using Stellarium.

Venus appeared among Jupiter’s moons on August 12, 3 BC. Of course no one had a telescope back then. Created using Stellarium.

I’ve written about the Jupiter-Venus conjunctions of 3 and 2 BC.  You can see it here from my Ephemeris website..