The Jeddah Astronomical Society, through its president, Engineer Majid Abu Zahra, announced a rare astronomical phenomenon that will be visible in the Earth's skies on Thursday, January 29, 2026: a planetary conjunction between Venus and Mercury. The two planets will appear in the sky separated by an extremely small angular distance of only about 0.5 degrees, roughly equivalent to half the width of the full moon. While this apparent closeness is a remarkable celestial event, it will be impossible to observe with the naked eye or even with conventional telescopes from Earth.
The historical and scientific context of planetary conjunctions
A planetary conjunction occurs when two or more celestial bodies appear close together in the sky from our perspective on Earth. Historically, these phenomena were of great interest to ancient civilizations, who linked them to terrestrial events. However, the modern scientific understanding clarifies that they are merely an optical alignment along the line of sight, while vast distances in space separate the celestial bodies. In the case of a Venus-Mercury conjunction, Mercury, the faster planet and closest to the Sun, moves faster in its inner orbit than Venus, causing it to appear to catch up with Venus in the sky and pass close to it.
Why is this conjunction difficult to detect?
The main reason this event is impossible to observe is its extreme proximity to the Sun's glare. The conjunction will occur when the two planets are very close to the Sun's disk in the sky, causing the intense sunlight to completely obscure them. Any attempt to point a telescope or look directly at that region of the sky poses a serious risk to the retina and could cause permanent vision damage, as well as potentially damaging sensitive optical equipment. Therefore, this conjunction is a prime example of a scientifically significant astronomical phenomenon that is inaccessible to the general public and amateur astronomers.
SOHO Observatory: Humanity's window to see the unseen
Although impossible to observe from Earth, this unique astronomical event can be followed from space thanks to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), a space-based observatory resulting from a joint collaboration between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA). The observatory houses a sophisticated instrument known as the Coronagraph, which artificially obscures the sun's bright disk, just as it does during a total solar eclipse. This technology allows scientists to see the solar corona surrounding the sun, as well as any celestial objects, such as planets or comets, that pass through its field of view. Images captured by SOHO will show Venus and Mercury as two bright points of light, providing scientists and enthusiasts with a rare opportunity to safely observe this celestial alignment.
Scientific importance and expected impact
The scientific significance of such conjunctions lies in the valuable opportunity they provide astronomers to study the precise orbital motions of the inner planets (Mercury and Venus) and refine their astronomical calculations. These observations also test the sensitivity and capabilities of space instruments in detecting luminous objects near a massive light source like the Sun. Internationally, these phenomena underscore the importance of global cooperation in space exploration, as observatories like SOHO enable all of humanity to access cosmic data and observations that would otherwise be impossible. This event reminds us that the universe is full of spectacular displays, many of which occur far beyond our direct view and can only be detected through advanced technology that extends our senses into the vastness of space.
