Pictures: moon aligns with Jupiter and Venus over Hereford

The event was a spectacular sight with large parts of the country able to get a good look at this celestial occurrence.

Moon meets Venus and Jupiter in conjunction, as seen over the river Wye in Hereford. Picture: Lorne Wilden/Hereford Times Camera Club

And Hereford Times readers, including members of the growing camera club, had their cameras at the ready to capture the sight.

Lorne Wilden shared some stunning pictures of the conjunction over Castle Green, the river Wye and Victoria Bridge, while Mark Williams' picture shows the sight over Kington's Market House and clock tower.

Mark Williams' picture shows the spectacle over Kington

It came after other amazing sights took over the night sky earlier in the year such as the northern lights in the far north of Scotland and the green comet that appeared for the first time in 50,000 years.

It now looks as though 2023 will not be short of other amazing wonders as the crescent moon once again met the solar system's two brightest planets amid their conjunction.

The view of the sight over Castle Green, Hereford. Picture: Lorne Wilden/Hereford Times Camera Club

Hereford Times Camera Club member Becca Preece captured the sight

What is the Venus and Jupiter conjunction?

The Venus and Jupiter conjunction involves the two planets appearing in the same part of the sky.

Venus meets up with the gas giant in an event known as a conjunction, placing the planets in extreme proximity to one another in our night sky.

This picture, taken by Geoff Houghton, shows the rare sight

How rare are Venus and Jupiter conjunctions?

Conjunctions between the two planets are anything but rare as they align with one another around every 13 months or 398.88 days, according to Belgian meteorologist Jean Meeus.

However, the conjunction being accompanied by a crescent Moon is less common, providing a wonderful view to stargazers.