Jupiter Meets Venus in June's Early Evening sky

Our sister planet appears at its best for 2015 in June and July alongside a notable planetary companion, Jupiter.

Although June nights are the shortest of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, in 2015 they pack a powerful punch. Venus and Jupiter will top most observers’ lists by dominating the evening sky all month. Keep a watch on the two brightest planets as the weeks pass, and you’ll notice them pulling closer. The drama builds to a stunning climax when they pass within 0.3° of each other as the calendar turns from June to July. But the thrills don’t stop there. June also features Saturn just a few weeks past its peak, Uranus and Neptune coming into sharper focus after midnight, and Mercury making a brief appearance before dawn.

In my picture of June 19th, 2015 below, Jupiter in the top left, Venus on the top right and the crescent Moon below making up the trio.