Jupiter and Saturn conjunct on December 21. It’s the Christmas star – Chronicle

Bologna, December 21, 2020 – The “Christmas star”? The conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn (photo). It happens this year, more precisely the December 21, day of Winter Solstice, that is, the time when the longest night occurs throughout the year. Yeah around sunset time between 17 and 18 around you look down at the horizon to South west, it will be possible to observe with the naked eye the very close conjunction of the giant planets of our solar system: Jupiter and Saturn.

These planets will be seen with the naked eye, but they will be indistinguishable individually because will appear superimposed. The unusual astronomical phenomenon is naturally just an effect of perspective. Jupiter and Saturn will actually be nearly a billion miles apart. But what is truly extraordinary is that Saturn, Jupiter, and Earth will be on the same line..

“The conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn – explains Romano Serra, astrophysicist at the University of Bologna – takes place approximately every 20 years. However, the particular thing is that this year is particularly tight so that the celestial bodies will almost overlap. The apparent distance in the sky will be 6 arc minutes, that is, about a fifth of the diameter of the full Moon. The phenomenon of concealment between planets is an event extremely rare. In the previous 3000 years and for the following until the year 3000, there will be no occultation between Saturn and Jupiter; while the November 22, 2065 there will be an occultation between Jupiter and Venus in the morning, just before sunrise. “

And continues Serra: “But going back to the phenomenon of Monday, December 21, it is curious that the conjunction only on the day of the winter solstice and it can be scientifically proven that the phenomenon also occurred in ancient times. In fact, the conjunction could suggest that the ‘star of the magi’, mentioned in the Gospel, was actually this celestial phenomenon. That is why the media have already renamed the cosmic event as the arrival of the ‘Christmas star‘. Before this conjunction, on Monday, December 21, the previous close conjunction took place late 1623; while the next very close future conjunction (but not like this one) will occur in 2417 “.

To observe the celestial phenomenon well, it is necessary to find a sky to the southwest free of clouds and fog up to the horizon. Therefore, mountainous or mountainous areas are the best for observation. “Whoever can observe the extraordinary conjunction – adds the astrophysicist – will notice the uniqueness of the phenomenon. Jupiter and Saturn for the eye will be ‘a star’ but not for the binoculars with which we can also observe the satellites of both Jupiter and Saturn itself. Another phenomenon on December 21, in addition to the Jupiter-Saturn couple, not far east, is the alignment of the Moon and Mars. The 4 celestial bodies will present themselves in an ideal line which will be almost straight. That line will be a section of the ecliptic, which is the path in the sky and between the constellations of the zodiac, of the Sun during the year. On Monday night we will review the ecliptic sector between the constellations Aquarius and Pisces. “

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