The brilliant planet Venus resides prominently in the western sky just after sunset. For those who have a clear view of the horizon, Venus has been visible for weeks now. The planet is gradually getting higher in the western sky and will be easier to see in the New Year.

Tonight and through the weekend, you can see Venus and the bright planet Saturn nearby. They are close and will be closer next Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

The conjunction of these two planets is a stunning event considering the distances between all three: Earth, Venus and Saturn. Venus is 129 million miles from the Earth. Saturn is a billion miles away.

That is a lot of miles to consider when we are seeing two planets appear so close together. Astronomers forecast that Venus and Saturn will be less than two degrees apart at the closest, which means that if you aren’t paying attention, they look like one object in the sky.

The bright planet Jupiter can still be seen in that area of the sky, but it is far closer in the glare of twilight, closer to where the sun has set. You might get a quick look at the setting planet less than an hour after sunset.