Watching for Triple Planetary Alignment

From the photographer: “In this astronomical self portrait Pat and Fred Espenak gaze at the triple planetary alignment of Venus, Mercury, and Jupiter (left to right) from the sky deck of Bifrost Astronomical Observatory in the southern Arizona (the photographer observatory). The planets form a conspicuous triangle during evening twilight on May 26, 2013. This was the climax of a several-week-long planetary alignment as all three bright planets appear together in the evening sky.” Click on the second photo to see another view of the conjunction and the observatory. © Fred Espenak