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On Monday, December 21, the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn will merge into a single star in the sky. having formed a bright light that many call the “Star of Bethlehem”. Although the planets will actually be about 400 million miles apart, their position in their orbits will give them the appearance of a single cosmic body.
About that write edit Quick.
The visual “merger” of Jupiter and Saturn will take place on the longest night of the year, and in clear weather it will be observed near the horizon in the southwestern part of the sky.
The phenomenon, which received the name “Star of Bethlehem”, has not been observed since the Middle Ages, about 800 years.
The conjunction of the two main planets is known as the Grand Conjunction, as this pair is by far the largest celestial bodies, other than the Sun, in the solar system. This led astronomers to call it the “Christmas Star” due to its appearance during the Christmas season.
As long as the planets are closer to each other in the sky, they can be seen clearly in the night sky.
NASA has shared some helpful tips on how to view the Greater Ensemble (“Star of Bethlehem”).
1. It will be possible to see Jupiter and Saturn together in a place with a clear view of the sky, for example, in a field or park. Jupiter and Saturn are so bright that they can be seen even in most major cities on the planet.
2. The phenomenon will be noticed an hour after sunset in the southwestern part of the sky. Jupiter will appear as a bright star and will be easily seen. Saturn will be a little weaker and appear a little higher and to the left of Jupiter until December 21, and after that date, Jupiter will catch up with it and they will change position in the sky.
3. The planets can be seen with the naked eye, but if you have binoculars or a small telescope, you can probably see the four large moons of Jupiter orbiting the giant planet.
On the web, you can see a live broadcast of the Great Jupiter-Saturn conjunction by following the link.
As reported by “Apostrophe”, the planets of the solar system Jupiter and Saturn for the first time in 800 years will approach each other at a minimum distance. The peak of the confluence will be on December 21, 2020 and can be seen in the night sky.
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