Venus and Saturn will appear extraordinarily close together in the night sky overnight on Jan. 17 during a celestial event known as a conjunction.

On Jan. 4, Saturn briefly hid behind the crescent moon, escaping the view of skywatchers in Europe, Africa, western Russia and eastern Greenland in an event known as a lunar occultation. Astronomer Gianluca Masi shared a composite photo taken during the event using the Virtual Telescope Project in Manciano, Italy.

Venus is the planet of love, beauty and pleasure — it governs everything from our finances and relationship dynamics to our values and desires. In Pisces, the love planet immerses itself in the ideal fantasy, encouraging us to dream big when it comes to our desires. This, however, could be our detriment if we lose sight of reality.

This beautiful image shows Saturn re-emerging from behind our moon after a lunar occultation on 4 January. These occur when the moon passes between Earth and another object in the night sky, blocking it from our view. To the right of Saturn, you might just be able to make out the star 85 Aquarius, which underwent occultation at the same time.

An event called a "ring plane crossing" will occur between Saturn and Earth on March 23, 2025, when Saturn's rings will appear to vanish.

Plus: Saturn’s moon Iapetus is visible, our Moon passes the bright star Spica, and Mars skims south of Pollux in Gemini in the sky this week.

To kick off the beginning of the weekend, catch Venus and Saturn meeting as a conjunction on the night of Jan. 17. A telescope is not required to view this astronomy event.

Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars will appear to line up and be bright enough to see with the naked eye in the first few hours after dark. This weekend, Venus and Saturn get especially cozy.

Saturn's transit into Aquarius influences all zodiac signs, emphasizing introspection, decision-making, and personal growth. Each sign receives tailored advice to navigate emotional equilibrium, health,

Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars are all visible after sunset, but social media claims about it being a rare "planetary alignment" are not correct. Here's how to see it.

A similar parade of planets took place last June, but only two planets could be seen without any special equipment. This time, four are visible to the naked eye.