It is an intergalactic trio that does not involve Uranus.
Did you think the “double planet” of 2020 was awesome? This weekend, observers may observe that Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn share the sky as part of a mind-boggling “triple conjunction.”
As a service to sky observers, we’ve completed everything you need to know about this interstellar phenomenon.
What is the “triple conjunction”?
A triple conjunction occurs when three planets line up in the sky, forming a kind of celestial conga.
During this year’s triple header, Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn will appear at 2 degrees from each other in the constellation of Capricorn, Forbes reported.
NASA wrote that “from Friday evening to Monday evening, the planet Mercury will appear to pass [by] first Saturn and then Jupiter as it moves away from the horizon, visible every night in the west-southwest and sets before sunset ends ”.
How to watch the show
The window to catch this cosmic congregation is short. EarthSky reports that the planetary trio will be visible at dusk, but will set at dusk, so stellar observers will have to park on an unobstructed horizon within 30 minutes before sunset. .
Once at a proper point of view, sky observers are advised to look low toward the west-southwest horizon, according to NASA.
Although binoculars are recommended, intergalactic baffles can witness the triple conjunction with the naked eye looking first for Jupiter, the brightest of the three, and then detecting Saturn and Mercury.
When is the next triple conjunction?
After this weekend, the next time these three planets line up will be just before Valentine’s Day, February 13th.
In fact, this particular triceps quite often passes by space standards, with the most recent interplanetary encounter occurring in 2015. By contrast, last month’s “Christmas star” marked the first Jupiter-Saturn conjunction since 1226. .