Lunar occultation OF VENUS
BEST TIME TO SEE: 19 June from 08:20 BST (07:20 UT) until 10:00 BST (09:00 UT)
Venus has been a dramatic object in the evening sky so far for all of 2020, but this month it’s notable because of its absence. The reason for this is that it is passing around a part of its orbit which is closest to Earth. As it does so it lines up with the Sun in the sky to reach a position known as inferior conjunction; inferior simply indicating that Venus is between Earth and the Sun.
On rare occasions Venus appears to pass in front of the Sun at inferior conjunction. Known as a transit of Venus, this won’t happen again until 2117. For many inferior conjunctions it is possible with care, to keep track of Venus as it passes close to the Sun. On 3 June it appears to pass half-a-degree north of the Sun’s centre, too close to be viewed safely.
After inferior conjunction Venus reappears in the morning sky with remarkable rapidity. By 9 June it should be possible to spot the planet low above the northeast horizon just before sunrise. Like its last appearance in the evening sky, this re-emergence into the dawn twilight will reap rewards to anyone who attempts to spot the planet through a telescope as Venus appears as a large, slender crescent through the eyepiece. However, unlike its evening appearance,