Venus and Mercury Conjunction 2026: Details of an Astronomical Event Observed by Jeddah Astronomy Society
The Jeddah Astronomical Society, through its president, Engineer Majid Abu Zahra, announced details of an anticipated astronomical event to be witnessed at the planetarium on Thursday, January 29, 2026: a rare planetary conjunction between Venus and Mercury. This event is characterized by an extremely small angular separation between the two planets, not exceeding 0.5 degrees, an apparent distance roughly equivalent to the apparent diameter of the full moon. This gives the phenomenon a unique geometric aspect in the mechanics of the heavens.
Why is it impossible to observe the conjunction from Earth?
Despite the astronomical significance of this conjunction, engineer Abu Zahra confirmed that observing it with the naked eye or even with conventional ground-based telescopes would be impossible. The main reason for this is not the faintness of the two planets—Venus is the brightest planet in our solar system—but rather their position directly in the direction of the sun as seen from Earth. The head of the association warned that any attempt to point binoculars or telescopes at that region could pose a serious risk to the retina and damage optical devices due to the intensity of direct solar radiation.
Coronagraph technology: The human eye in space
In an effort to overcome the limitations of ground-based observation, the association explained that this event will be observed exclusively through space-based observatories, specifically via images from the SOHO observatory. This observatory, a product of international collaboration between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), is equipped with coronagraph technology. This technology creates a permanent, artificial solar eclipse by obscuring the sun's disk, allowing scientists to see the solar corona and surrounding celestial bodies that are usually obscured by the sun's bright rays.
The astronomical scene as seen from space
According to astronomical data, SOHO images will reveal a stunning view showing Venus and Mercury as two bright points close together to the left of the sun; Venus will be at the top and Mercury at the bottom. Adding to the scene's brilliance, Mars will also appear on the far right, providing a rare astronomical tableau that brings together several planets in a single observational frame, reflecting the accuracy of modern astronomical calculations.
Scientific significance and celestial mechanics
From a scientific perspective, this event holds significance beyond mere aesthetic appeal. The conjunction occurs due to Mercury's rapid movement in its inner orbit, close to the Sun, where its angular velocity exceeds that of Venus. This causes Mercury to appear to catch up with Venus and pass close to it on the line of sight. Such phenomena provide scientists with an ideal opportunity to test the accuracy of mathematical models that simulate planetary motion and to calibrate space-based observatories to ensure their sensitivity in detecting bright objects amidst the Sun's intense glare. This underscores that space still holds many wonders invisible to the naked eye.
