Solar Conjunction

by Dominic Ford, Editor
Last updated: 16 Jul 2020

The Moon appears as a thin crescent when it is close to solar conjunction, which is better known as new moon. Simulated image courtesy of Tom Ruen.

An object is said to be at solar conjunction when it makes its closest approach to the Sun in the sky.

The planets are typically lost in the Sun's glare and impossible to observe for a few weeks when they pass solar conjunction. Mercury can reappear within only a few days, since it moves around its orbit so quickly that it can pass from solar conjunction to maximum elongation in less than a month.

List of solar conjunctions

The table below lists the dates when objects are at solar conjunction in 2024, computed from NASA's DE430 planetary ephemeris. To show events in other years, use the control below.

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Objects at solar conjunction in 2024

Date Object Full description
of event
Date Object Full description
of event
20 Jan 2024 08:38 EST134340 Pluto at solar conjunctionMore information »
28 Feb 2024 03:52 ESTMercury at solar conjunctionMore information »
28 Feb 2024 16:15 ESTSaturn at solar conjunctionMore information »
17 Mar 2024 07:13 EDTNeptune at solar conjunctionMore information »
11 Apr 2024 18:58 EDTMercury at solar conjunctionMore information »
14 Apr 2024 02:23 EDT136199 Eris at solar conjunctionMore information »
13 May 2024 05:04 EDTUranus at solar conjunctionMore information »
18 May 2024 14:34 EDTJupiter at solar conjunctionMore information »
04 Jun 2024 12:03 EDTVenus at solar conjunctionMore information »
14 Jun 2024 12:38 EDTMercury at solar conjunctionMore information »
18 Aug 2024 21:53 EDTMercury at solar conjunctionMore information »
30 Sep 2024 17:19 EDTMercury at solar conjunctionMore information »
02 Oct 2024 20:00 EDT136472 Makemake at solar conjunctionMore information »
24 Oct 2024 08:54 EDT136108 Haumea at solar conjunctionMore information »
05 Dec 2024 21:14 ESTMercury at solar conjunctionMore information »

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