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A really weird astronomical event will happen Monday night: Jupiter and Saturn will line up in what NASA calls the “big guess.”
Jupiter and Saturn line up in the sky once every two decades, according to NASA. Why are they calling this a great guess then? For one thing, it has been almost 400 years since the two planets will appear so close to each other in the sky. To us, it will appear that they are within a tenth of a degree; NASA said that with an extended arm, a little finger could cover both planets.
A “big guess” occurred in July 1623, but it was impossible for humans to see because it was so close to the sun, according to the Associated Press.
But that is not all. This conjecture is so special because it has been nearly 800 years since the Jupiter and Saturn alignment occurred at night, so this time, we can see it happen. “The weirdest thing is a close conjunction that occurs in our night sky,” Vanderbilt University astronomy professor David Weintraub explained to AP.
The unaided eye will be able to see the planets close together, even though they are actually millions of miles apart in space. NASA broke down how you’ll be able to see this unique occurrence in 800 years on Monday, December 21:
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Look for a clear view of the sky, like in a park. Don’t worry, city dwellers: Jupiter and Saturn are so bright that NASA estimates you will be able to see the guess for most cities.
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Look at the sky in a southwesterly direction one hour after sunset. “Jupiter will look like a bright star and will be easily visible,” explains NASA. “Saturn will be a little weaker and will appear a little above and to the left of Jupiter until December 21, when Jupiter will catch up with it and they will change positions in the sky.”
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If you have binoculars or a telescope, you will be able to see the four great moons of Jupiter!
“I think it is fair to say that such an event can normally occur only once in a person’s life,” Weintraub told the AP, adding: “And I think ‘once in my life’ is pretty good proof. of whether something deserves to be labeled so rare or special. “
In fact, such a close guess won’t happen again until 2080, so set your timer for an hour after sunset on Monday night.
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