Venus - Jupiter Conjunctions ~ Late August Evenings

  There is a series of conjunctions between Jupiter and Venus in late August or early September evenings that result in a moderately close (less than 2° separation) pairing of the planets.  During this epoch, Venus passes to the south of Jupiter. In all of these events, Jupiter is of course nearing the end of an apparition, and is in a part of its orbit close to its aphelion.  Venus is about in the middle of one of its apparitions of the 1981 - 1989 - 1997 - 2005 - 2013 - 2021 - 2029 variety, during the first phase of which it emerges from the evening twilight in February, rises to a moderate height during the winter and spring, but then lowers in altitude even while increasing in elongation during summer and fall.  Towards the end of this kind of apparition, it will finally surge to a decent height in December, but then swing back through inferior conjunction well north of the Sun in mid-January (as in January 2022).

  Below we see the three instances of this kind of conjunction that have occurred or will occur in my life-time:  1981, 2005, and (I hope :) 2029.  In 1981, the scene was joined by Saturn and Mercury, which was off to the lower right; in 2005 we only have Venus and Jupiter; and in 2029 we also only have Venus and Jupiter in the group. In each case, the pair is a little over 40° east of the Sun, but the ecliptic's shallow angle keeps them low to the horizon.  As a result, getting a good shot requires cloud- and haze-free skies and of course a clear western view.