When is the next planetary conjunction?

Planetary conjunctions until 2028

Every time two planets come within 4° of each other in the sky, at the date of their smallest separation (Universal Time). For comparison, the full Moon is half a degree wide and a fist held at arm's length covers about 10°.

The ones worth watching

Between the four bright planets, the coming meetings are: Mars and Jupiter on November 16, 2026, 1.2° apart in Leo (morning sky, 88° from the Sun); Venus and Saturn on May 7, 2027, 0.6° apart in Pisces (morning sky, 26° from the Sun); Venus and Mars on November 25, 2027, 0.3° apart in Sagittarius (evening sky, 27° from the Sun); Venus and Saturn on February 28, 2028, 3.4° apart in Pisces (evening sky, 45° from the Sun); Venus and Mars on June 13, 2028, 2.0° apart in Taurus (morning sky, 19° from the Sun).

The tightest visible pairing of the list is Mars and Uranus on June 23, 2028, 0.2° apart in Taurus (morning sky, 21° from the Sun).

A conjunction within about 12° of the Sun happens in daylight or in bright twilight and cannot be observed. Uranus and Neptune need binoculars or a telescope whatever the date.

What a conjunction is

Two planets are in conjunction when they line up as seen from Earth. They are not close in space: one is simply far behind the other, almost on the same line of sight. The 3D heliocentric view shows the real layout on any date.

The dates here are those of the smallest angular separation, which is what you actually see. The conjunction in ecliptic longitude, the definition used by almanacs, falls within a day or so of it.