Conjunction of Planets 2026: When to See Two Planets Next to Each Other?
Spotted two bright dots shining side by side? It could be planets! Use the free Sky Tonight app to check when to spot them in your city. In this article, you will also find out when the next planetary conjunction occurs, how it differs from a planetary alignment, and how a triple conjunction can consist of only two planets. Let's get started!
Contents
- What is a planetary conjunction?
- Locating planets with Sky Tonight
Next conjunction of planets: When to see 2 planets close together?
- Conjunction of planets: F.A.Q.
- Planetary conjunction 2026: bottom line
What is a planetary conjunction?
In simple words, a planetary conjunction occurs when two or more planets appear close to each other in the sky. Such proximity of planets is an optical illusion — in reality, they are very far away from each other.
From an astronomical point of view, a conjunction happens when celestial objects share the same right ascension or ecliptic longitude in the sky.
To really understand what a conjunction is, let's also break down what right ascension and ecliptic longitude are.
Right ascension is the equivalent of longitude on the Earth’s surface projected onto the celestial sphere.
Ecliptic is an imaginary line that marks the Sun’s apparent path across the sky during a year. Ecliptic longitude is measured along the ecliptic eastwards from the Sun’s position at the March equinox. For a clearer understanding of celestial coordinates, explore our dedicated infographic.
When planets are at their closest angular separation but do not have the same right ascension or ecliptic longitude, this is called a close approach. A close approach and a conjunction often occur close together, but not always, so don't confuse these events!
Usually, the distance between objects during a conjunction varies from 0.5° to 9°. To get it better, imagine that 0.5° is the average width of a Full Moon disk.
A conjunction can include other celestial objects besides planets — for example, moons, asteroids, or stars. In our article, we list the upcoming conjunctions of the Moon and planets, so you can learn which planet is close to the Moon tonight.
Planetary conjunction and planetary alignment: what’s the difference?
Some people confuse a planetary conjunction and a planetary alignment, sometimes referred to as a “planet parade.” In an alignment, more than two planets gather closely in the same area of the sky as seen from Earth. Interestingly, some planets can simultaneously be in conjunction with each other while also part of a planetary alignment.
Curious about planetary alignments and when to see the next planetary parade? Check out our regularly updated infographic!
What is a triple conjunction?
A triple conjunction is an astronomical event when two planets, or a planet and a star, appear to meet in the sky three times within a short period (over a few weeks or months). This is due to the change in the planets’ apparent motion as seen from the Earth. Normally, planets drift eastward against the background stars in a prograde direction, but then they appear to reverse direction (go retrograde) for a while before returning to their normal prograde motion. The first conjunction of the planets happens while both move prograde, the second occurs when at least one of them appears to reverse course, and the third — after one or both of them resume forward motion.
Triple conjunctions should not be confused with planetary alignments, where multiple planets gather closely in the sky. Unlike alignments, a triple conjunction only involves two celestial objects repeatedly meeting in the sky.
There are three main types of triple conjunctions:
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Between inferior planets*: These occur almost every time Venus passes behind the Sun (superior conjunction), but the second conjunction is usually hidden in the Sun’s glare. Less frequently, they occur when both planets pass between the Earth and the Sun (inferior conjunction), but again, the second conjunction is often unobservable.
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Between an inferior planet and a superior planet**: The triple conjunctions of this type occur about once every 10 years. They happen when an inferior planet is in its retrograde phase while a superior planet is near opposition. Typically, the second conjunction happens when the inferior planet is too close to the Sun to be seen. However, if bright planets like Venus and Jupiter are involved, all three conjunctions may be easily visible.
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Between two superior planets: These occur about once every 10 years, too, but those featuring only bright planets (Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn) are extremely rare, happening once in a century at most. All three conjunctions can typically be observed in this type of triple conjunction. Both planets, being outside Earth’s orbit, reach opposition to the Sun in the sky near that period, so none of the three meetings are lost in the Sun’s glare. The next triple conjunction of this type is the triple conjunction of Saturn and Neptune in 2025–2026.
*Inferior planets are those that orbit closer to the Sun than the Earth: Mercury and Venus.
**Superior planets are those that orbit further out from the Sun than the Earth: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
What is a Great Conjunction?
A Great Conjunction is a conjunction between Saturn and Jupiter. It’s called “great” because it’s the rarest conjunction between naked-eye planets. Saturn and Jupiter move slowly around the Sun and encounter roughly every 20 years when Jupiter “overtakes” Saturn in its orbit. The most recent Great Conjunction took place in 2020, when the two planets appeared just 0.1° apart, the closest since 1623. Next time, a Great Conjunction will occur on November 4, 2040.
Locating planets with Sky Tonight
You can easily locate planets in the sky above you with the help of Sky Tonight. Just follow these steps:
- Launch the app and type the name of the planet you're looking for in the search bar.
- Tap the blue target button next to the relevant result, and the app will show you the planet's location on the sky map.
- Tap the blue compass button to find the planet's actual position in the sky above you. A white arrow will appear on your screen, so you can follow it until you spot the planet. The app's image matches the real sky.
Next conjunction of planets: When to see 2 planets close together?
Looking for the next time two planets appear close together? Here are the upcoming planetary conjunctions, with dates and skywatching details to help you plan your observations.
Triple conjunction of Saturn and Neptune: final stage in 2026
Saturn (mag 1.0-1.1) and Neptune (mag 7.9) meet three times within a few months in the constellation Pisces, sharing the same right ascension. Saturn is bright and easily visible to the naked eye. Neptune remains faint, requiring binoculars or a telescope to spot. Here are the stages of the triple conjunction:
- First conjunction: June 29, 2025, at 08:20 GMT, with a separation of 0°59′
- Second conjunction: August 6, 2025, at 09:51 GMT, with a separation of 1°09′
- Third conjunction: February 16, 2026, at 03:38 GMT, with a separation of 0°54′
June 29, 2025: First encounter in the Saturn-Neptune triple conjunction
The first conjunction took place on June 29. At 08:20 GMT, Saturn (mag 1.0) passed within 0°59′ of Neptune (mag 7.7). Both planets were located in the constellation Pisces, visible for a few hours before sunrise.
August 6, 2025: Second encounter in the Saturn-Neptune triple conjunction
The second conjunction was made possible by both planets entering retrograde motion — Neptune on July 5 and Saturn on July 14. This caused them to shift backward in the sky, allowing for another close approach.
On August 6 at 09:51 GMT, Saturn (mag 0.8) and Neptune (mag 7.7) aligned again in Pisces. They were visible throughout the night, with Saturn standing out clearly and Neptune once again requiring a telescope.
February 16–20, 2026: Final stage of the Saturn–Neptune triple conjunction
After resuming prograde motion (Saturn (mag 1.0) on November 28 and Neptune (mag 7.8) on December 10, 2025), the planets approach each other for the third and final time. The last conjunction occurs on February 16, 2026, shortly after sunset.
However, the show doesn’t end there. Over the following days, Saturn and Neptune continue to move closer to each other in the sky, reaching their closest approach (0°49′) on February 20, 2026. Although this is not a conjunction, it offers the best visual opportunity to see the two planets close together before they begin to drift apart again. It will be your final chance to see Saturn and Neptune this close together until the year 2132!
February 26: Mercury near Venus
- Conjunction time: 23:08 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 4°42′
- Close approach time: February 27, 21:44 GMT
- Close approach distance: 4°30′
On February 26, Venus and Mercury will appear close together in the evening sky, low above the western horizon. Visually, the two planets will be separated by about three fingers held at arm’s length. Around this time, Mercury reaches its greatest elongation from the Sun, making it easier to spot than usual — a great opportunity for observers who rarely catch this elusive planet.
Around the same time, four more planets — Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, and Jupiter — will also be visible in the sky not far from Venus and Mercury. This creates a striking planetary alignment, with up to six planets gathered in one region of the sky. Such events are relatively rare, especially when most of the planets can be seen with the naked eye. For more details, check out our dedicated article on the planetary alignment on February 28.
March 7: Venus near Neptune
- Close approach time: 11:07 GMT
- Close approach distance: 0°04′
- Conjunction time: 12:03 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 0°04′
On March 7, Venus and Neptune will appear extremely close to each other in the evening sky, low above the western horizon. Their separation will be smaller than the width of a little finger held at arm’s length. Venus will shine brightly with a magnitude of –3.8, making it easy to spot with the naked eye. Neptune, however, is much fainter (magnitude 7.9) and can only be seen through a telescope.
March 8: Venus near Saturn
- Close approach time: 13:15 GMT
- Close approach distance: 0°54′
- Conjunction time: 22:11 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 1°00′
On March 8, Venus and Saturn will appear close together in the evening sky, low above the western horizon. The distance between them will be roughly equal to the width of an index finger held at arm’s length. Venus will shine bright at magnitude –3.8. Saturn, shining at magnitude 1.0, will also be easily visible. Both planets can be spotted with the naked eye, making this conjunction a great target for casual skywatchers.
March 14: Mercury near Mars
- Conjunction time: 06:44 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 3°58′
- Close approach time: March 15, 19:09 GMT
- Close approach distance: 3°21′
On March 14, Mercury and Mars will appear close together in the morning sky, low above the eastern horizon shortly before sunrise. Mercury will shine at magnitude 2.5, while Mars will be brighter at magnitude 1.1. The conjunction will be more favorable for observers in the Southern Hemisphere, where Mars rises earlier and appears higher above the horizon. In the Northern Hemisphere, Mars rises almost at the same time as the Sun, making it harder to spot.
June 9: Jupiter near Venus
- Conjunction time: 12:30 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 1°38′
- Close approach time: 19:47 GMT
- Close approach distance: 1°36′
On June 9, Jupiter and Venus — the two brightest planets in the night sky — will appear close together in the evening sky, above the northwestern horizon. With magnitudes of –1.8 for Jupiter and –3.8 for Venus, the pair will be strikingly bright and easy to spot with the naked eye. This beautiful conjunction has earned its place on our list of the best astronomical events of 2026.
Triple conjunction 2027: Venus and Mercury
The inferior planets Venus and Mercury will meet three times within a short period, forming a rare triple conjunction. The visibility conditions and the planets’ positions in the sky will vary for each encounter, so not all of them will be equally easy to observe. Full details about each planetary conjunction are listed below.
July 1, 2027: First encounter in the Venus-Mercury triple conjunction
- Conjunction time: 10:28 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 4°35′
On July 1, Venus (mag –3.8) and Mercury (mag 3.4) will appear close together in the morning sky, about one hour before sunrise. Venus will be located in the constellation Taurus, while Mercury will be in Orion. At this time, Mercury will be in retrograde motion, contributing to the unusual three-part meeting of the two planets.
August 11, 2027: Second encounter in the Venus-Mercury triple conjunction
- Conjunction time: 01:37 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 0°32′
Just over a month later, Venus and Mercury will meet again, this time at a much smaller angular distance. However, on this very day, both planets will be at their superior solar conjunction. As a result, Venus and Mercury will rise together with the Sun and will not be observable due to the Sun’s glare.
October 10, 2027: Final encounter in the Venus-Mercury triple conjunction
- Conjunction time: 13:10 GMT
- Conjunction distance: 4°10′
The final event of the triple conjunction occurs on October 10, when Venus (mag –3.8) and Mercury (mag 1.1) will appear in the evening sky, visible for about one hour after sunset. Both planets will be located in the constellation Virgo. At this time, Mercury will be in retrograde motion.
Conjunction of planets: F.A.Q.
When is the next planetary conjunction in 2026?
The next planetary conjunction to look out for is the Saturn-Neptune conjunction on February 16, 2026. Use the free Sky Tonight app to locate the planets and explore more celestial events.
When is the next triple conjunction?
The next triple conjunction is the Saturn–Neptune triple conjunction. Its final and closest meeting occurs on February 16, 2026, when the two planets meet in the constellation Pisces.
When is the next Great Conjunction?
A Great Conjunction is a conjunction between Saturn and Jupiter, two of the big and bright Solar System planets. In 2026, there is no Great Conjunction. The next Great Conjunction between Saturn and Jupiter will occur on November 4, 2040.
What’s the difference between a planetary conjunction and a close approach?
A planetary conjunction occurs when two planets share the same right ascension. A close approach refers to the moment when the planets are at their smallest apparent distance in the sky, even if no conjunction takes place.
Planetary conjunction 2026: bottom line
Planetary conjunctions are beautiful events when planets appear close together in the sky. From an astronomical point of view, they occur when objects share the same right ascension or ecliptic longitude. Need help finding them? The Sky Tonight app makes it super easy to locate planets and enjoy the night sky. Happy stargazing!
Learn when to see conjunction of planets with the Moon
Conjunctions don’t only happen between planets. They can also occur when a planet appears close to the Moon, creating bright and eye-catching sights in the sky. These events are easy to see, even without special equipment. Find out when to spot upcoming Moon–planet conjunctions and what planet is near the Moon tonight.
