Updated: December 20, 2020 9:30:31 pm
A statue of a Kansa Indian atop the Kansas Statehouse is in the foreground as Saturn, above, and Jupiter, below, are seen on Saturday, December 19, 2020, in Topeka, Kansas (Source: AP)
Jupiter-Saturn Conjunction: Sky watchers should be ready for the last and most prominent celestial event of the year 2020, as Jupiter and Saturn align so that they will appear as a bright star in the night sky on December 21, Monday. What makes this celestial event so special is that the two planets in our solar system will approach the point where they will be only one tenth of a degree apart.
The two planets have not gotten closer than this for almost four centuries. On July 16, 1623, the two planets were 5’10 ”(five minutes and 10 seconds) from each other compared to 6’06” of arc on December 21. There have only been two more cases where Jupiter and Saturn have gotten this close. as close as what we will see this year.
“Conjunctions like this could occur on any day of the year, depending on where the planets are in their orbits,” said Henry Throop, an astronomer in the Division of Planetary Sciences at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters. in Washington.
“The date of the conjunction is determined by the positions of Jupiter, Saturn and the Earth on their paths around the Sun, while the date of the solstice is determined by the tilt of the Earth’s axis. The solstice is the longest night of the year, so this rare coincidence will give people a great opportunity to get out and see the solar system. “
How to observe the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction?
In order to witness this event, it is not necessary to have special equipment as it will be visible to the naked eye. You just need to wait for the sun to go down, find an obstructed view of the sky, and then look to the southwest. To be able to see correctly, make sure that the place you choose does not have too much light around it.
According to NASA, Saturn will be a bit weaker, as it will appear to be above the largest planet in our solar system to the left. Positions will be reversed after December 21. To get a better view of the event, you will need binoculars or a place with a small telescope. This will not only give you a better view of the planets, but also of the four moons that orbit Jupiter.
If you still can’t get a good look at the event, you can watch the live stream on NASA’s website or on its Facebook and YouTube channels.
Express Tech is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@expresstechie) and stay up to date with the latest tech news.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
.
