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It is the first time since the Middle Ages, 800 years ago, that the double planets can be seen as a single celestial body. On December 21, the two will be closer to each other, seen from the ground. It’s the same day as the winter solstice and you have the longest night of the year before the sun goes down.
The event has already been named the “Christmas star” and from December 16-25 it will be visually smaller than the diameter of a full moon that separates the planets. It should be possible to see large parts of the world.
According to NRK, it will be difficult to see the phenomenon from Norway. The greatest possibility will be in southern Norway around 5 p.m., according to the channel. Then it will be to the west, just above the horizon.
– Exactly this event is exceptionally rare because the planets will be very close to each other. You have to go back to before sunrise on March 4, 1226 to see something like this in the night sky, says astronomer Patrick Hartigan of Rice University in a press release.
It is such a planetary conjunction that was long thought to have occurred as the backdrop to the story of Jesus’ birth. According to phys.org, there was a planetary conjunction of Jupiter, Venus, and the star Regulus in 2 BC. C., which may have been a factor that contributed to the star of Bethlehem being included in the Gospel of Matthew.
The next chance to see Jupiter and Saturn as one is in the year 2080.
