Many internet users and the media are marking May 16 on the calendar, the date when a very specific position of Venus, Jupiter and the crescent Moon will form a ‘smiley face’. What’s true in this affirmation?
We have contacted the astronomer Óscar Martín, astronomer, president of the Association of Astronomy Startrials: “Not this year, and less on that date,” he says. The reason is that a conjunction between Venus and Jupiter will not be possible. “On the night of May 16, Jupiter will be visible around 2:00 am and at that time Venus is no longer visible, which rises at sunset.”
As published by Aficionado a la Geografía, it is not true that such training can be given. Both Venus and Jupiter will be separated in the sky, without conjunction. At most, on May 12 there will be a conjunction between Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon; and, according to this association, “it will not form a happy face at all.”
Óscar Martín confirms this prediction: “This does seem more possible. From 12 to 13 Jupiter Saturn and the Moon will be close, and they will be visible close especially from South America; but it does not seem possible that they will form some kind of recognizable shape. “, recognize.
There will be no happy face, at least, this year
According to the opinion of experts, it does not seem possible that the planets can form something similar to a smiley face, at least, on the date viralized on social networks. However, this curious phenomenon has taken place before. On December 5, 2008, Mike Salway took the photograph that illustrates this article at Brisbane Water, on the central coast of New South Wales, Australia; and it was published by NASA.
According to Óscar Martín, the dissemination of this type of false information occurs every year : “The phenomenon of the smiley face occurs from time to time, and the same claim is usually used from one year to the next.”
Apparently it all started with an unverified tweet issued by BBC Radio Tees.
