Venus and Jupiter conjunction lights up social media

The conjunction of Jupiter and Venus lit up more than just the night sky as photos of the celestial event flooded social media.

The planets Venus, bottom, and Jupiter, top, light the sky above Matthews, N.C., Monday, June 29, 2015. The two brightest planets appeared to be unusually close together Monday. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) Source: (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

The conjunction of the two planets saw them pass within a third of a degree of each other, appearing to viewers as two bright stars.

The planets are hundreds of millions of miles apart – more than 500 million miles, according to NASA – but have appeared within a photographable distance for space enthusiasts.

But it wasn't just professional stargazers taking in the view. 

The conjuction trended on Twitter and Facebook in Australia as amateurs uploaded images to social media.

The two planets are set to stay within two degrees of each other until July 4, before disappearing from the skies until August 27 next year.

As this NASA video explains, "you don't want to miss any of the action".