Jupiter and Saturn in conjunction
Dec 4, 2020 17:37:45 #
From the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/12/04/jupiter-saturn-double-planet/
This month for you astronomy shooters, "…the once-in-a-lifetime sight is the product of an astronomical event known as a “conjunction,” in which two objects line up with each other in the sky. When it involves Jupiter and Saturn catching up to each other, it’s sometimes called a “great conjunction.”
"…Since the summer, Jupiter and Saturn have been getting closer to one another, often visible at dusk, low in the western sky. Right around the solstice, they may appear as one overlapping body above the horizon.
This phenomenon last occurred in 1623. "Luckily, Earth will not need to await another eight centuries to view another “double planet.” Given the tilts of each orbit, the next conjunction will be visible in 2080, according to projections from Rice University astronomer Patrick Hartigan."
But for many, this year will mark their first and only opportunity to get a glimpse of the two planets seemingly merging in the sky. Alan Duffy, the lead scientist at the Royal Institution of Australia, recommends that stargazers hoping to get a clear view of both Jupiter and Saturn might want to look west before then."
This month for you astronomy shooters, "…the once-in-a-lifetime sight is the product of an astronomical event known as a “conjunction,” in which two objects line up with each other in the sky. When it involves Jupiter and Saturn catching up to each other, it’s sometimes called a “great conjunction.”
"…Since the summer, Jupiter and Saturn have been getting closer to one another, often visible at dusk, low in the western sky. Right around the solstice, they may appear as one overlapping body above the horizon.
This phenomenon last occurred in 1623. "Luckily, Earth will not need to await another eight centuries to view another “double planet.” Given the tilts of each orbit, the next conjunction will be visible in 2080, according to projections from Rice University astronomer Patrick Hartigan."
But for many, this year will mark their first and only opportunity to get a glimpse of the two planets seemingly merging in the sky. Alan Duffy, the lead scientist at the Royal Institution of Australia, recommends that stargazers hoping to get a clear view of both Jupiter and Saturn might want to look west before then."
Dec 5, 2020 01:12:21 #
Dec 5, 2020 12:44:59 #
The close conjunction is on my birthday. Don't know what the weather will be like, but may try to catch it.
Dec 5, 2020 12:47:51 #
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.