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Astronomer Blake Estes prepares a telescope to view the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21, 2020 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images)
- On Monday night, a view of the rare Great Conjunction, when Jupiter and Saturn line up close to each other, and Earth, was somewhat obscured in many parts of the country due to clouds and rain.
- Still, an amateur astronomer managed to capture some images of the brilliant celestial phenomenon.
- All over the world, people looked up to see the two bright spots in the sky.
- For more stories, visit www.BusinessInsider.co.za.
On Monday night, rain and clouds prevented many South Africans from properly viewing the rare “Great Conjunction”, when the gas giants of the solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, are close to Earth and to each other.
Although not a star, the bright celestial phenomenon is known as the “Christmas star” and is visible to the naked eye, which is rare.
Although Jupiter and Saturn align every 20 years, the last time they were this close was in 1623 AD.But at that time, they would have appeared very close to the Sun and therefore very difficult for people to see, he told Business Insider. the astronomer of the Astronomical Observatory of South Africa Daniel Cunnama. This year, as in 1226 AD, the phenomenon is not close to the Sun, so people could witness the Christmas star.
Unfortunately, the historical view turned out to be somewhat obscured by weather conditions and clouds in some parts of South Africa.
Still, Kos Coronaios, a member of the Southern Cape Astronomy Club, managed to capture two images of Pearly Beach in the Western Cape that showed how close Jupiter and Saturn were the night before:
Photo: Kos Coronaios
Coronaios says that seeing the two planets so close together that they fit into a single eyepiece view of his telescope was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Photo: Kos Coronaios
The next Great Conjunction will occur in 2080.
Jupiter’s four largest moons (the Galilean moons) were clearly visible this week, as was Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. Coronaios says that even with the naked eye, the view was “impressive.”
On Twitter, South Africans shared their views on Monday night:
For most people, who don’t use anything more powerful than a pair of binoculars, the Great Conjunction looks very similar: two points in the sky, either from New York …
A view of the grand conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn over the sky in New York City, the United States, on December 21, 2020 (Photo by Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images).
or seen in Italy
The conjunction over L’Aquila, Italy, on December 21. (Photo by Lorenzo Di Cola / NurPhoto via Getty Images)
But in some parts of the world, the conjunction was aligned with natural features and landmarks that allowed for better photographs.
The conjunction over The STRAT Hotel, Casino & SkyPod on December 21, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
The conjunction on the sails of the Brill windmill in England. (Photo by Jim Dyson / Getty Images)
The conjunction on Mt. Tamalpais on December 21, 2020 in Larkspur, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
Astronomers around the world organize viewing events and capture the moment, as far away as New Delhi …
A joint observation event at the Nehru Planetarium in New Delhi, India on December 21, 2020. (Photo by Sonu Mehta / Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
… and California
Astronomer Blake Estes prepares a telescope to view the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21, 2020 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images)
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