The two largest planets, Jupiter and Saturn, lined up in the night sky and appear closer than they have had in centuries.
The pair looked like a double planet, a phenomenon astronomers call “the great conjunction,” but the two gas giants are still 456 million miles apart.
This phenomenon has also been christened the “Christmas Star” in reference to the heavenly light that guided the three sages to Jesus in the birth story of the Christian Bible.
LA observers gather at Griffith Observatory for “great conjunction”
Our sister station ABC7 captured the rare sight, which will not happen again until 2080, in the sky over Los Angeles, and you could even see Saturn’s rings in its helicopter images.
Dozens gathered at the Griffith Observatory also to glimpse the celestial site that has not been seen since the Middle Ages.
“At first glance, they look like two little dots. But up close, it’s like seeing pictures in books, in fact, they look like them,” said Ryan McCray of Irvine. “It’s a pretty amazing sight. I’m glad to have experience.”
The astronauts absorbed the rare scene.
“At first glance, it couldn’t be said that there were two different things, but with a camera you can see Saturn’s rings and, in fact, an image showed Jupiter’s moons,” said Hawthorne resident Nancy Carlos .
Many people also went into their gardens and parks to capture the spectacle in the sky.
John Bush in Orange recorded a vision of the celestial sight reaching the winter solstice.
“For me, any astronomical event is a time to connect with the consciousness and energy of the universe,” said Scott Hammond of Larchmont.
In these turbulent times, the rare conjunction that unites so many people in the hope that it will be a sign of a brighter future.
“It’s just a very humiliating experience. It’s also very powerful to share it with everyone,” said Gus Baden of Irvine.
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