Venus aligns with Spica in rare celestial event over Arar

A striking visual conjunction between Venus and the star Spica was observed in the skies over Arar on Sunday evening, creating a notable astronomical scene visible toward the western to southwestern horizon after sunset.

Adnan Khalifa, a member of the Astronomy and Space Club, explained that Venus appeared with its strong brightness near Spica, the brightest star in the Virgo constellation, separated by an angular distance of about one and a half degrees. This allowed both objects to appear close together in the sky during evening twilight. He clarified that this is an apparent conjunction as seen from Earth, and does not indicate any real proximity between the two bodies in space, since Venus is a planet within our solar system, while Spica lies far beyond it.

Khalifa noted that the phenomenon could be seen with the naked eye if the weather was clear and the western horizon unobstructed, while binoculars could help view Spica more clearly during twilight. He added that Venus is one of the brightest objects in the sky after the Sun and Moon, making it more visible than Spica.

This event is among several astronomical phenomena witnessed in the region's skies, offering astronomy enthusiasts the chance to observe the apparent movement of planets and their positions relative to the stars.