![]() Then, without moving the telescope, you can slightly shift your gaze to Saturn and its magnificent rings. But if you do have observing equipment, you’ll be able to zoom in and watch the dance of Jupiter’s four moons - Europa, Io, Callisto and Ganymede. So, you certainly won’t need binoculars or a telescope to see the Great Conjunction of 2020. ![]() Jupiter shines brighter than any star in the sky at magnitude -2.0, while Saturn is dimmer at magnitude 0.6 - though the Ringed Planet is still quite bright. Throughout the month, the gas giants will be hard to miss. We don’t have to worry about that this time. A similar thing occurred in 1623 A.D., when Jupiter and Saturn brushed shoulders near the Sun. That close approach in our sky occurred relatively near the Sun, which made it hard to observe. The last conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn happened in May 2000. However, having two bright planets like Jupiter and Saturn pair up is extremely rare. And two or more planets come together relatively frequently. Throughout the year, the Moon regularly appears alongside a number of planets and bright stars. Of course, those objects aren’t necessarily physically close, they simply look that way because of their orbital alignment.Ĭonjunctions are extremely common, though. They’ll reach greatest conjunction on December 21.Ĭonjunctions happen when two celestial objects appear to pass close to one another as seen from Earth. On December 16, the Moon will sit just 5 degrees away from the pair, offering a handy comparison. local time.īy mid-month, they’ll be just one Moon-width apart. Now, you can find them both in the southwestern sky just after sunset, located some 20 degrees above the horizon at 6 P.M. The pair begin the month of December just 2 degrees apart, creating an already impressive sight. Of course, many of us alive today won’t be around then, so it would be wise to soak in this show while you can.įor much of the year, Jupiter and Saturn have shared the same swath of sky. Another Great Conjunction will occur in 2080. Humanity won’t have to wait quite as long to see the solar system’s two largest planets repeat this month’s performance, though. ![]() The last time Jupiter and Saturn were this close together away from the Sun was in 1226 A.D., at a time when Genghis Khan was conquering large swaths of Asia, and Europe was still generations away from the Renaissance. In fact, Jupiter and Saturn will be so close that you will be able to fit them both in the same telescopic field of view. The sight will likely leave many casual observers wondering “What are those large, bright objects so close together in the sky?” On December 21 - coincidentally the winter solstice - the two largest planets in our solar system will appear to almost merge in Earth’s night sky.ĭuring the event, Jupiter and Saturn will sit just 0.1 degrees apart, or a mere one-fifth the width of the Moon. ![]() Astronomers are calling it the Great Conjunction of 2020. This December, Jupiter and Saturn will put on a show for skygazers that hasn’t been seen in roughly 800 years.
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