Yucatan astronomer Eddie Ariel Salazar Gamboa informed that on Wednesday, Feb. 22nd, a “love triangle” will be registered between the Moon, Venus and Jupiter, with the triple conjunction that will last about two hours, and that will be visible for the naked eye in the state of Yucatan (if it’s not too cloudy).
He explained that on that day, the three stars will be in the Fishes, and the natural satellite will have a separation of about two degrees of arc, between both planets.
The academic from the Instituto Tecnológico de Mérida (ITM) guaranteed that it would be a great celestial show, as long as the atmospheric conditions allow it.
“Although from the sky the three stars will be very close, in reality the separation between the three is several million kilometers,” he said.
The professor emeritus of the Autonomous University of Yucatan (UADY) clarified that the goddess of the year will be the first to appear, at 7:58 a.m. and will hide at 8:04 p.m., and will have an apparent magnitude of -4.
He pointed out that Selene will rise at 8:14 a.m. and set at 8:14 p.m., it has an age of two days, so it is in its crescent phase, therefore only 10 percent of its surface will be seen.
The coordinator of the Astronomy Group “Hipatia of Alexandria” of the ITM added that later, at 8:28 hours the Jovian giant will emerge, to disappear at 20:35, and will have a magnitude of -2.1.
Thus, on that day, both Venus and Jupiter will be the brightest stars in the celestial vault, making this event spectacular, but of short duration, emphasized the “Jaguar of Tourism 2020” award from the Mexican Association of the Tourism Industry (AMIT) Yucatan.
He indicated that on that day, the Sun will set at 18:00 hours, so 15 minutes later both planets will be visible, and next to them will be the Moon, so the show will last two hours.
Salazar Gamboa detailed that Venus will be 2.1 degrees north of the Moon, while Jupiter will be 1.2 degrees from the Earth’s natural satellite.
“In the sky, they will form a triangle, and the first to disappear will be the goddess of beauty, then Selene and finally, the gas giant,” abounded the Distinguished Teacher of the State of Yucatan 2021 award.
Just on that day, Venus will be about 205 million kilometers away from Earth, while Jupiter will be more than 850 million kilometers away.
Although Jupiter is 1,500 times more voluminous than Venus, the latter, which is in its evening star phase, is brighter, due to its proximity to the Sun.
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