Amman, June 8 (Petra) -- Jordanian skies are set to host a striking celestial display on Tuesday evening, as Jupiter and Venus draw unusually close together in the western sky shortly after sunset.

According to Ammar Al-Sakaji, President of the Jordanian Astronomical Society (JAS), the two planets will dominate the twilight sky as the brightest objects after the Sun and Moon, appearing in a close visual pairing that reaches its peak separation of around 1.6 degrees.

The phenomenon will be visible to the naked eye across the Kingdom and the wider Arab region, with the best viewing window extending until roughly 10:20 p.m. local time. Although they will appear close together, the alignment is only apparent from Earth’s perspective and does not reflect any physical proximity in space.

Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, and Venus, often associated historically with beauty and love, will create a visually notable contrast in brightness and position, forming a rare evening highlight for skywatchers.

Al-Sakaji noted that such alignments have long carried cultural and symbolic meaning across civilizations, with Jupiter linked to authority and order, and Venus tied to themes of beauty and fertility in ancient traditions.

The event is also expected to attract interest from astronomy enthusiasts and photographers, offering an opportunity to capture a rare planetary pairing that occurs only periodically and varies in how close the two planets appear.

Observers may also notice nearby stars in the Gemini constellation toward the right of the planetary pairing, while Mercury will sit low near the western horizon, making observation conditions more dynamic for those scanning the post-sunset sky.

He added that the Jordan Astronomical Society will collaborate with the Department of Antiquities to document the event from the Amman Citadel, aiming to highlight Jordan’s cultural landmarks alongside this notable astronomical occurrence.

//Petra// WH