Venus and Jupiter converge in the pre-dawn sky

In case you haven't noticed, the day begins with a bright light in the East. The sun? No. Venus and Jupiter, which converge at one point in the predawn sky.

This week, Finazzi Antonio took a picture of two planets, shining through the rosy glow of sunrise in the Colli di San Fermio in Italy:

"I saw them through the trees at dawn, he writes. — What a beautiful view!"

Soon Venus and Jupiter will approach each other closer and closer, showing more and more spectacular show with each passing sunrise. At the maximum convergence of the January 22, they will be only 2.5 degrees from each other. This double beacon in the morning sky will be visible even in light-flooded cities.

This is a special convergence. And not only because Venus and Jupiter — the two brightest planets. They converge in the period when Venus is at its maximum visible distance from the sun. As a result, the convergence can be observed about an hour before dawn.

Yet this convergence is special, as it is in the constellation Ophiuchus — the unofficial 13th constellation of the zodiac. Many people only know twelve: the constellation of capricornus, Valdalia, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius. The sun passes through these constellations, one after the other, in the course of the year. This ancient signs of the zodiac.

Today's astronomers don't divide the sky as did the ancient scientists. According to modern star maps, the sun passes through a 13th constellation of Ophiuchus from November 30 to December 17, and now it is the merging of Jupiter and Venus.

To find Venus and Jupiter just. Get up early, look to the Southeast and enjoy.

Translated by «Yandex.Translator»