Planet Parade Over Serbia: Venus, Jupiter and Mercury
Through June, the evening sky over Serbia offers one of the best sights of the year. Venus, Jupiter and Mercury are visible with the naked eye, and a thin crescent Moon joined them in mid-month.
- Through June, three planets, Venus, Jupiter and Mercury, are visible to the naked eye in the western evening sky.
- Venus and Jupiter were in conjunction on June 8 and 9, appearing only about 1.5 degrees apart.
- From June 16 to 18, a thin crescent Moon joined the scene above the horizon.
- The summer solstice fell on June 21, with the longest day lasting about 15 hours and 36 minutes in Belgrade.
Do you need a telescope to watch the planets? No, this June all you have to do is look west after sunset. The evening sky over Serbia is offering one of the finest sights of the whole year, and all you need is a clear evening and an open view toward the horizon.
Venus, Jupiter and Mercury shine at the same time, with no equipment at all. Venus and Jupiter are the brightest and easiest to spot, while Mercury sits a little lower and dimmer, so it takes some patience. Early in the month, on June 8 and 9, Venus and Jupiter were in conjunction, only about 1.5 degrees apart. That means they looked almost joined, like two bright eyes right next to each other.
When and where should you look?
The rule is simple: look west, shortly after sunset, while the sky has not gone fully dark yet. That is when the planets look best, low over the horizon, set against a deepening blue.
Our suggestion is to pick a spot with an open view to the west, free of tall buildings and trees. A hill, a meadow or a rooftop gives the best angle. City lights matter less than you might think, because Venus and Jupiter are bright enough to cut through light pollution. For Mercury, though, you really do need a darker horizon, so heading just outside town is ideal.
Before you set off, check the forecast. A cloudy evening will ruin the whole plan, and a sight like this is worth waiting for a clear night. You can use your phone to capture the moment, though to the naked eye it always looks warmer and more alive than in a photo.
In the middle of the month, from June 16 to 18, a thin crescent Moon joined the scene. The slim silver line stood near Jupiter and Venus, while Mercury stayed lower on the horizon. That arrangement, three planets and a young Moon in the same patch of sky, is rarely seen and worth remembering.
What else does the June sky bring?
This year June also brought the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. The solstice arrived on June 21 at 10:24, and the longest day in Belgrade lasted about 15 hours and 36 minutes. The Sun rose at 4:53 and set at 20:27, which means daylight lingered almost until half past eight in the evening.
It is worth separating two things that often get mixed up. The longest day lasts about 15 hours and 36 minutes, and the exact figure varies slightly with your location in Serbia. The figure of roughly 15 hours and 40 minutes, sometimes quoted, refers to something else, the length of the whole astronomical summer, which lasts about 93 days, not the length of a single day.
All of this makes June a month worth looking up for. The long evenings give you time to wait calmly for the sky to darken, and the planets appear on their own, one by one. No gear is needed, no knowledge is needed, just a moment of attention before you head back inside.
Catch the sight once and you will find it hard to forget. So when will you next pause in the yard and look west after sunset?
