View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Even in a less-than-perfect sky, and even over a city, people could see the moon near bright Venus in the past few evenings. Can you see fainter Saturn near Venus? Vermont Coronel Jr. in Quezon City, Philippines, caught Venus and Saturn on January 23, 2022. He wrote: “Dusk view of a day-old moon, and Venus and Saturn, all within the tail of the Sea Goat.” Thank you, Vermont!
Photos of Venus-Saturn conjunction
On January 22, 2023, the brightest planet Venus, 2nd planet from the sun – and golden planet Saturn, 6th planet from the sun – passed each other in Earth’s western sky after sunset. At their closest, they were less than a moon-diameter apart. Plus the young moon joined the show. And EarthSky community members caught them that night, and on the nights around that date. Plus the young moon joined the show. Beautiful!
Venus is ascending out of the sun’s glare, getting higher in the west after sunset as each new day draws to its close. Venus will be farthest from the sunset in early June 2023. And Saturn is dropping into the sunset and will be hidden in the sun’s glare by the end of January. It’ll pass most directly behind the sun on February 16, 2023. Beginning around now, the moon will wax larger and appear in the sky for more hours of night. Full moon will be the night of February 5, 2023.
Enjoy these photos from the EarthSky community, captured as Venus and Saturn passed!
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Richard Tan of San Juan City, Metro Manila, captured this image on January 23, 2023, and wrote: “Venus and Saturn (small dot below Venus) taken from my balcony with the crescent moon.” Thank you, Richard!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Andres Eloy Martinez Rojas of Jojutla, Morelos, Mexico, captured this image on January 22, 2023, and wrote: “Venus and Saturn conjunction Sunday evening January 23, 2023, in clear sky conditions.” Thank you, Andres!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Helio C. Vital of Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, captured this image on January 22, 2023, and wrote: “The photo shows the Venus-Saturn (note the ring system) conjunction at dusk, when the planets were only 20.6° apart.” Thank you, Helio!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Dolores Moreno in Highland, California, said the very young moon looked pink in the twilight on January 22, 2023, below Venus and Saturn. Thank you, Dolores!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jeremy Likness in Monroe, Washington, caught Venus (brighter) and Saturn on the evening of January 22, 2023, when they were closest. He wrote: “A break in the clouds reveals the close proximity of Venus and Saturn as they chase after the sun that has already set.” Thank you, Jeremy! More photos of Venus-Saturn, below.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | John Ashley in Arizona wrote: “On January 21, 2023, after sunset, Venus (left) and Saturn (right) settled towards the western horizon just one degree apart. Photographed here every 10 seconds above the old Aermotor windmill at the Empire Ranch, now under BLM stewardship as part of the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area.” Thank you, John! More photos of Venus-Saturn conjunction below.Riste Spiroski of Macedonia sent us this photo by email on January 21, 2023, and wrote: “Tonight, as I was driving home, I saw these beautiful major bodies that caught my eye. I stopped just to take a picture and document this beautiful event of this close meeting … It’s photographed in Ohrid, Macedonia, at around 5:30 p.m.” Thank you, Riste!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Ray Tolomeo in Warrenton, Virginia, caught this image of Venus and Saturn on January 21, 2023. He wrote: “Skies cleared in time to catch Venus (brightest) and Saturn (right above her) setting over and reflected in Lake Ashby near Warrenton, Virginia, in the evening twilight. The bright star Deneb Algedi is also easily visible to the left of Saturn. This is an 8-sec exposure at f/5 and ISO-400.” Thank you, Ray!
Bottom line: EarthSky community members caught the Venus-Saturn conjunction – when the two planets passed less than a moon-diameter apart in the western twilight – on and around January 22, 2023. Plus the young moon joined the show. Beautiful!
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.
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