Venus and Jupiter can be seen in a straight line in the Indian sky at dusk, crowned by a crescent moon, in a rare instance of celestial alignment. This wonder, a delectable treat for amateur sky gazers using telescopes as well as the general public who can see it with the naked eye shortly after sunset, is a rare occurrence and an opportunity not to be missed simply because the celestial dance is so bright and visible in the evening sky.
According to officials from Gujarat’s Department of Science and Technology (DST), this conjunction between a planet closer to the Sun than the Earth and another farther away from it than our home planet is a rare occurrence. It can be seen to the southwest, just over the horizon.
During the conjunction, Venus appears brighter than Jupiter because it is closer to Earth than the largest planet in the solar system. “While solar and lunar eclipses, as well as observable transits of Mercury and Venus across the surface of the Sun, are fairly common occurrences, conjunctions like this are not,” an official said. Mars and Jupiter are also regularly observed in the realm of planetary conjunctions.
However, it is quite remarkable to see the conjunction of an ‘inner planet’ Venus, and an ‘outer planet’ Jupiter, especially when it is so bright and visible to the naked eye.” The full conjunction of the two planets is expected to occur on March 1 and will be visible in the evening sky before complete sunset throughout the first week of March. “On the last day of February, Venus and Jupiter meet, less than 1.3 degrees apart,” said Dr Narottam Sahoo, advisor at the Gujarat Council on Science and Technology (2 full moon widths). They can be caught shortly after sunset.
The two bright planets are so low in the fading evening twilight that viewing them requires a completely unobstructed western horizon. Because of their alignment, the planets appear to occupy the same space in the night sky despite being millions of kilometers apart.” Furthermore, Mars can be seen shining through the night in the eastern sky above the Orion constellation and close to the Pleiades star cluster.
Telescopic view arranged for children :
The celestial event occurs just one day after February 28, which is observed as National Science Day in India to commemorate Dr. CV Raman’s discovery of the Raman Effect in 1928. Science City in Ahmedabad, which is hosting the Science Carnival from February 28 to March 4, will have telescopic viewings of the conjunction and children will be able to learn more about the two planets. More than 20,000 children from across the state are expected to visit Science City each day. Students can enter for free.
Astrological significance of conjunction
According to astrologer Naresh Trivedi, the conjunction of the Moon, Jupiter, and Venus does not bode well for geopolitical situations around the world, particularly for western nations and countries in the northern hemisphere. “According to Indian astrology, the conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter causes ‘vish yog,’ which can cause natural and man-made mayhem. The recent earthquake in Turkey is a prime example. The combination of the three will also have a negative impact on global stock markets. “The period until Holi (March 7) is unlucky, and there is a risk of geopolitical upheaval,” Trivedi said.