a great conjunction

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a great conjunction" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a significant astronomical event where two planets appear very close to each other in the sky. Example: "The last great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn occurred in December 2020, captivating stargazers around the world."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"There's a great conjunction here of three winnable electorates, three very solid and attractive candidates, and the biggest environmental and economic issue to confront the electorate in Queensland in at least two decades," he says.

The Guardian

In humans, understanding iron transport and utility has recently been advanced by a "great conjunction" of molecular genetics in simple organisms, identifying genes involved in genetic diseases of metal metabolism and by the application of traditional cell physiology approaches.

International Review of Cytology

"There's been a great conjunction of energies in Naples despite its marginality as a center of art," said Pierpaolo Forte, president of the Fondazione Donnaregina for contemporary arts, which runs Naples' main contemporary art museum Madre, just now emerging from a dark moment precipitated by budget cuts.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

In an appendix, Kepler also discussed the recent chronology work of the Polish historian Laurentius Suslyga; he calculated that, if Suslyga was correct that accepted timelines were four years behind, then the Star of Bethlehem analogous to the present new star would have coincided with the first great conjunction of the earlier 800-year cycle.

Wikipedia

Astrologically, the end of 1603 marked the beginning of a fiery trigon, the start of the ca. 800-year cycle of great conjunctions; astrologers associated the two previous such periods with the rise of Charlemagne (ca. 800 years earlier) and the birth of Christ (ca. 1600 years earlier), and thus expected events of great portent, especially regarding the emperor.

Wikipedia

It's not some sort of crystal ball-gazing... I do political astrology, which means I chart full moons and new moons and ingresses and eclipses and great conjunctions and cycle charts of the major planets.

The Washington Post

The editors of Rosicrucian publications dated the death of their founder to 1484 and fixed the time of the discovery of his tomb as 1604 in order to coordinate the events with the last two great conjunctions of stars.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Pomponazzi makes the spontaneous generation of human beings dependent upon the conjunction of the superior planets Jupiter and Saturn, and thus introduces another Arabic theory into the discussion: Albumasar's astrological theory of the great conjunctions (Nardi 1965).

SEP

We also present the first evidence of greater conjunction- versus single-task activity in the parietal cortex in a WM manipulation task.

Human Brain Mapping

That is, greater conjunction suppression in extrastriate visual areas might serve to reduce retroactive interference from task-relevant color and angle probe information at retrieval.

Human Brain Mapping

In support of this, examination of the time courses from angle- and color-preferred regions indicates that greater conjunction- than nonpreferred single-task activity is initiated early and sustained throughout the trial period.

Human Brain Mapping

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a great conjunction" to describe events or ideas, ensure the context clearly indicates a significant and beneficial coming together.

Common error

Avoid using "a great conjunction" for trivial or unimportant meetings or combinations. Reserve it for events with considerable impact or historical importance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a great conjunction" primarily functions as a noun phrase, often used to describe a significant coming together of elements. Ludwig's examples illustrate its use in describing events, artistic energies, and astrological phenomena.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33.33%

Science

33.33%

Encyclopedias

33.33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a great conjunction" is a noun phrase used to describe a significant coming together of elements, as confirmed by Ludwig. It’s grammatically correct, though rare in usage, and suitable for both neutral and formal contexts. The phrase emphasizes the importance of the union, and while it is appropriate for describing various events, you should reserve its use for combinations of genuine significance. The Ludwig AI also provides helpful alternatives such as "significant convergence" or "remarkable alignment" for related concepts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant convergence

Replaces "great conjunction" with "significant convergence", emphasizing the act of coming together.

a momentous convergence

Highlights the historical importance of the coming together.

a remarkable alignment

Focuses on the alignment aspect of the conjunction, highlighting its unusual nature.

a fortunate confluence

Highlights the positive or lucky aspect of the elements coming together.

a noteworthy alignment

Similar to "remarkable alignment" but with a slightly less emphatic tone.

an extraordinary meeting

Emphasizes the coming together of elements, highlighting its exceptional quality.

a powerful combination

Highlights the strength and impact resulting from the conjunction.

a notable union

Focuses on the joining or uniting aspect of the event.

an impressive coalition

Suggests a merging of entities for a specific purpose, emphasizing collaboration.

a striking juxtaposition

Emphasizes the contrast and placement of elements side by side.

FAQs

How can "a great conjunction" be used in a sentence?

You can use "a great conjunction" to describe events, ideas, or celestial phenomena that involve a significant coming together of elements. For example, "The project's success was due to "a great conjunction" of talent and opportunity".

What are some alternatives to "a great conjunction"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "significant convergence", "remarkable alignment", or "powerful combination".

Is it appropriate to use "a great conjunction" in formal writing?

Yes, "a great conjunction" is appropriate for formal writing when describing a significant and impactful coming together of elements. However, ensure the context warrants such a strong descriptor.

What does "a great conjunction" typically refer to in astronomy?

In astronomy, "a great conjunction" often refers to the close approach of Jupiter and Saturn in the night sky. However, the phrase can be used more generally to describe any significant alignment of celestial bodies.