Amman, July 16 (Petra) – Stargazers are in for a celestial treat on
Friday evening as the Moon and Venus conjunction is visible to the
naked eye.

Ammar Sakaji, President of the Jordanian Astronomical Society (JAS),
said the best time to catch the event will be immediately after
sunset, looking toward the western horizon. Venus will shine just
above and to the right of a slender, 14% illuminated waxing crescent
Moon. The pair will remain visible for about two hours before dipping
below the horizon.

While the two celestial bodies will make their closest approach at
4:30 p.m. local time, Sakaji noted that the view will be much clearer
after dusk once the sun’s glare fades.

No special equipment is required to view the phenomenon, Sakaji said,
adding that binoculars, cameras, or even smartphones will help
capture the moment.

He emphasized that the alignment is purely an optical illusion. While
they appear side-by-side from Earth’s perspective, the Moon sits
roughly 367,000 kilometers away, while Venus is a distant 137 million
kilometers out in space.

//Petra// HA