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Glite Dictionary
superior conjunction

superior conjunction

9.9
When a planet is on the far side of the Sun from Earth so we cannot see it
  • noun
  • /suːˈpɪəriər kənˈdʒʌŋkʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : conjunción superior
  • When a planet reaches superior conjunction, it is located on the far side of the Sun from our perspective on Earth.
  • superior conjunction at 2 p.m.
  • Mercury in superior conjunction

Examples

  • Venus is in superior conjunction, 7 p.m. PST

    Academic text (2005)

  • 18 Mercury is in superior conjunction, 2 p.m. PDT

    Academic text (2004)

  • Mercury is in superior conjunction, 9 P.M. PDT.

    Academic text (2007)

  • It's called superior conjunction.

    Another Earth (2011)

  • On January 3, Mercury was positioned in superior conjunction, directly opposite the Earth behind the Sun.

  • Venus is aligned in superior conjunction with the Sun on June 11, meaning it is currently hidden from view.

Surface Forms

superior conjunction singular
superior conjunctions plural

Morphology

superior + conjunction

The components give useful clues: 'conjunction' signals an alignment and 'superior' (a planet whose orbit is farther than Earth’s) signals it involves a more distant planet, so learners can infer an alignment involving a planet beyond Earth. However, the precise technical sense — that the planet is aligned on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth — is a domain-specific detail not fully predictable from general vocabulary, so full comprehension would likely require prior exposure or background knowledge.

Etymology

Superior conjunction comes from words used by sky watchers: conjunction means 'to line up' and superior means 'farther from' Earth. Picture the planet, the Sun, and Earth in one straight line with the planet on the far side of the Sun so it is hidden, and that image explains why the term means a planet aligned on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth.