Jupiter is on its way to a solar conjunction, and within days it will vanish from view until November. The giant planet currently sets just 45 minutes after the sun, making this week the last opportunity to catch it with the naked eye or binoculars before it disappears behind our star.
Forbes reports that Jupiter's solar conjunction will occur on July 29, when it passes almost directly behind the sun from Earth's perspective. During this alignment, the planet is completely obscured by solar glare, rendering it invisible even to telescopes. After conjunction, Jupiter will slowly emerge in the eastern morning sky, becoming visible again in November.
This event is part of Jupiter's annual orbit. Because Earth travels faster around the sun, Jupiter appears to move through our sky, going through opposition and conjunction cycles. At opposition, Jupiter rises at sunset and is visible all night; at conjunction, it aligns with the sun and disappears.
The current window is tight: Jupiter is sinking lower each evening, setting only 45 minutes after the sun. Skywatchers in the northern hemisphere should look west-northwest just after sunset, starting this week. Even a modest pair of binoculars may reveal Jupiter's four largest moons—Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto—but only before the sky gets too bright.
According to astronomy experts, Jupiter is the third-brightest natural object in the night sky after the Moon and Venus. Its absence for over three months is a notable gap for planetary observers. Amateur astronomers often use this time to observe other planets like Saturn or Mars, which remain visible in the evening sky.
The July 29 conjunction marks the midpoint of Jupiter's visibility cycle. After November, Jupiter will climb higher each morning, eventually reaching opposition in 2027, when it will rise at sunset and be visible all night. For now, viewers should catch the planet before it slips away.
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Last Chance To See Jupiter Before It Disappears Until November
Jupiter will set about 45 minutes after the sun this week as it sinks from view, moving toward conjunction with the sun, as seen from Earth, on July 29.
Jamie Carter, Senior Contributor
Forbes
2 min read
4/10
Key Takeaways
- Jupiter's solar conjunction occurs on July 29, 2026, when the planet lies within 5 degrees of the sun, making it impossible to observe safely.
- As of July 9, Jupiter sets only 45 minutes after the sun, offering a narrow twilight window for naked-eye or binocular viewing in the western sky.
- After conjunction, Jupiter reappears in the morning sky around November 2026, rising earlier each day and becoming dusk-visible by January 2027.
- Jupiter is the third-brightest object in the night sky (magnitude -2.2), and its four Galilean moons can be spotted through small telescopes during clear twilight.
- This event is an annual phenomenon: Jupiter spends about 4–5 months each year in the pre-dawn or post-sunset twilight during conjunction seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jupiter reaches solar conjunction on July 29, 2026. At this point, the planet passes behind the Sun as seen from Earth and becomes completely invisible for several weeks.
Jupiter disappears because it moves to the opposite side of the Sun from Earth. The Sun's glare hides the planet, making it unobservable with any instrument until it emerges in the morning sky.
Jupiter reappears in the eastern morning sky around November 2026. It will rise earlier each day and become visible in the evening sky by early 2027.
Look west-northwest about 30–45 minutes after sunset this week. Jupiter is the brightest object in that part of the sky. Use binoculars to try to see its four Galilean moons.
Yes, Jupiter is the third-brightest natural object in the night sky after the Moon and Venus. Even during twilight, it can be spotted with the unaided eye if the sky is clear.
Original source
www.forbes.com
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