DENVER (CBS4) – Monday is a special day for the northern hemisphere of planet Earth because it is the winter solstice, a day known to be the shortest day of the year and the official start of the winter season. But something else will take place on December 21 this year and involves two other planets in our solar system.
Photo from the archive of a group of amateur astronomers. (Photo: PHILIPPE HUGUEN / AFP / Getty Images)
On Monday after sunset, you will be able to witness the “great conjunction” of Saturn and Jupiter as long as time cooperates. The conjunction should be visible from almost anywhere on Earth and form what many call the Christmas Star. To see this rare event, just look at the southwest horizon about an hour after sunset.
(credit: NASA)
According to NASA, it has been almost 400 years since these two planets passed so close to each other and it has been almost 800 years since such close proximity happened at night. While you can see this celestial event with the naked eye, if you have a telescope, you may be able to see each planet individually, including Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s moons.
So why is this called a Christmas star? Is it because it happens so close to the Christmas holidays? Is there a biblical meaning? Is it because the two planets will briefly look like a big, bright star? Click here to read a fantastic article by Larry Sessions and Deborah Byrd that explores these questions and more.