October 10, 2025: Jupiter begins a rare triple conjunction with Pollux from October 2025 to May 2026. Learn when and where to see each event, including Jupiter’s retrograde motion and a close meeting with Venus.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:58 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 6:17 p.m. CDT. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
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Jupiter begins a series of three conjunctions with Pollux this morning
A conjunction occurs when two celestial bodies share the same celestial longitude. This happens frequently when the objects are below the horizon or lost in daylight, so we use convenient observing times to guide sky watchers.
Unlike Regulus or Spica, Pollux lies farther from the ecliptic, but it serves as a reliable marker for the moon and bright planets.
Jupiter takes nearly 12 years to revolve around the sun, reflected in its steady eastward motion in front of the zodiac constellations. Each year, as Earth passes between Jupiter and the sun, the planet appears to reverse direction in retrograde motion—an illusion caused by Earth’s faster orbital speed.
A triple conjunction occurs when a planet passes a star moving eastward, then again while retrograding, and once more when direct motion resumes.
Currently, Jupiter is eastward in front of Gemini, passing 6.6° to Pollux’s lower right. An hour before sunrise, Jupiter shines high in the southeast with Pollux to its upper left.
After retrograde begins on November 11, the second conjunction occurs December 13, when Jupiter passes 6.5° to Pollux’s lower left. At that time, the pair appears in the western sky before sunrise.
Earth reaches opposition with Jupiter on January 10, 2026, making the planet easy to spot higher in the sky during evening hours. Retrograde ends March 10, 2026, when Jupiter resumes its eastward motion.
The third conjunction occurs May 28, 2026, with Jupiter over 20° above the western horizon and 6.3° to Pollux’s lower left. On that evening, Venus approaches Jupiter, 11.6° to the lower right. Their conjunction follows on June 6, 2026, when Venus passes 1.6° from the Jovian Giant.
Jupiter begins a triple conjunction with Pollux, the brighter Gemini Twin. The first conjunction occurs this morning, followed by a second in December during Jupiter’s retrograde, and the third next May after the planet resumes its eastward motion. Venus joins the scene in late May, leading to a close conjunction with Jupiter on June 6, 2026.
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