Conjunction
Seen from the Earth, two celestial bodies stand in the same direction. With opposition and trine, conjunction is one of the positions the biodynamic calendar records.
What is a conjunction?
In a conjunction two celestial bodies, seen from the Earth, stand in the same direction. It is measured along the ecliptic: both have the same ecliptic longitude and stand in front of the same section of the zodiac, often close together. In space they remain far apart and merely lie on one line of sight.
The angle between them is zero degrees. The other positions the biodynamic calendar records are opposition at 180 degrees and the trine at 120 degrees.
Conjunctions with Moon and Sun
Every month the Moon passes each planet. If it comes close enough, it moves in front of it: a lunar occultation. New Moon is the conjunction of Moon and Sun.
When a planet is in conjunction with the Sun, it disappears in the Sun’s light and cannot be seen for some weeks. Mercury and Venus have two kinds of this: inferior conjunction, when they pass between Earth and Sun, and superior conjunction behind the Sun. Around inferior conjunction they are retrograde.
Great conjunction
Jupiter and Saturn meet about every 20 years. This meeting is called the great conjunction. The last one took place on 21 December 2020, the next follows in the autumn of 2040.
Conjunctions in the calendar
Dyyna records conjunctions of the planets with one another as events in the sky, with time and constellation. In the 3D model you can go to them and view them from the Earth as well as from the Sun.
Conjunctions of the planets 2027
| Date | Time | Planets | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr | 19:57 | Mercury and Neptune | Pisces |
| 19 Apr | 15:01 | Mercury and Saturn | Pisces |
| 24 Apr | 12:59 | Venus and Neptune | Pisces |
| 7 May | 20:44 | Venus and Saturn | Pisces |
| 11 May | 14:49 | Mercury and Uranus | Taurus |
| 14 Jun | 4:17 | Venus and Uranus | Taurus |
| 1 Jul | 11:22 | Mercury and Venus | Taurus |
| 11 Aug | 8:29 | Mercury and Venus | Cancer |
| 20 Aug | 0:46 | Mercury and Jupiter | Leo |
| 26 Aug | 4:59 | Venus and Jupiter | Leo |
| 11 Oct | 11:33 | Mercury and Venus | Virgo |
| 25 Nov | 2:35 | Venus and Mars | Sagittarius |
Times for Central Europe (CET, CEST in summer). Whether a conjunction can be seen depends on its distance from the Sun. If the pair stands close to it, it is lost in the twilight.
Sources
- Conjunction (astronomy), Wikipedia
- Great conjunction, Wikipedia
- Planetary positions: VSOP87 (Bretagnon and Francou 1988)
Frequently asked questions about conjunction
What is a conjunction in the sky?
Seen from the Earth, two celestial bodies stand in the same direction, at an angle of zero degrees.
How often is there a conjunction?
Every month the Moon is in conjunction once with each planet. Among the planets themselves there are 12 conjunctions in 2027.
What is a great conjunction?
The meeting of Jupiter and Saturn, about every 20 years. The last one was on 21 December 2020.