Sky science
Superior Conjunction
Direct answer
Superior Conjunction occurs when the Sun lies between Earth and Mercury or Venus in heliocentric geometry.
It places an inner planet on the far side of the Sun.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Related
- Astronomical Opposition, Inferior Conjunction, Planetary Transit, Transit of Mercury
It places an inner planet on the far side of the Sun.
A scientific orientation to scale, light, or motion; the article supplies the precise definition.
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The story behind Superior Conjunction
Heliocentric models clarified the two distinct conjunction types of inner planets.
A one-minute story
The Wandering Stars
How the moving planets were watched, named and found, and what a transit is.
Why Superior Conjunction matters
Superior Conjunction marks the transition between morning and evening apparitions in the opposite sense from inferior conjunction.
Superior Conjunction in practice: an example
Mercury near superior conjunction is nearly full in phase but lost in sunlight.
Where readings of Superior Conjunction go wrong
Superior conjunction does not mean the planet passes directly behind the Sun as seen from Earth.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- U.S. Naval Observatory: Astronomical Almanac Glossary - Definitions for astronomical coordinates, time, reference systems, and observable phenomena.
- NASA Science: Solar System Exploration - NASA overview of planets, moons, small bodies, rings, and the structure of the Solar System.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
Trace the far-side conjunction
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More in Astronomy & Skywatching
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Common questions
What is superior conjunction?
Superior Conjunction occurs when the Sun lies between Earth and Mercury or Venus in heliocentric geometry.
What do people get wrong about superior conjunction?
Superior conjunction does not mean the planet passes directly behind the Sun as seen from Earth.
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