Astronomical Events Information | 2016 | October
Venus and Saturn Passing Close Together
Let’s watch the close approach of Venus and Saturn.
At the start of October, after sunset Saturn can be seen in the southwestern sky and Venus can be seen low in the west-southwestern sky. In the first part of the month, Saturn and Venus are widely separated, but after that Venus gradually approaches Saturn; on the 30th their apparent locations approach to within about 3 degrees (6 times the angular diameter of the Moon). For several days around this date, Venus and Saturn will appear particularly close together.
You can enjoy watching the positional relation between these two planets change from day to day.
Reference: Ephemeris Computation Office
You can look up the rising and setting times for the Sun and the Moon, and the phases of the Moon in the “Koyomi Station” of the NAOJ Ephemeris Computation Office.
You can find the appearance of the Moon and planets as seen from a typical city under “Sky Viewer.”