Jupiter and Saturn, the two largest planets in our solar system, were visibly closer together on Monday night than they have been in 800 years, marking an extremely rare celestial event known as the “great conjunction. ”
The conjunction occurs when the orbits of the two planets align every 20 years, but the event is not always visible and the planets do not usually come as close together as on December 21st.
This time, Jupiter and Saturn were separated by 0.1 degrees, less than the diameter of a full moon.
The planets were so close, that they seemed, from some perspectives, to completely overlap, creating a rare “double planet” effect. However, while the planets seemed from Earth very, very close, in reality, they are still separated by hundreds of millions of miles.
The event coincided with the winter solstice and Christmas week, but can occur during any time of the year.
If you missed the show or if the sky appears cloudy Monday night, don’t worry: the planets will still appear very close together in the night sky over the next few weeks and dedicated astrophotographers will share their best photos of the night Media social.
Santa Barbara, California
Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images
Los Angeles, California
PATRICK T. FALLON / AFP via Getty Images
Melbourne, Australia
Guatemala
Francisco Sojuel / Astronomical image of the day of NASA
New York, New York
Gary Hershorn / Getty Images
Texas
Alborz Mountains, Iran
Alireza Vafa / NASA Astronomical Image of the Day
Koh Chang, Thailand
Chakarin Wattanamongkol / Getty Images
Brill, England
Jim Dyson / Getty Images
Colorado Springs, Colorado
City of Kuwait, Kuwait
YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP via Getty Images
How to see the great conjunction
The large conjunction shines shortly after sunset, descending into the southwestern sky, as seen from the northern hemisphere, NASA said.
Throughout December and early January, sky observers can easily spot the two planets with the naked eye. They are so bright that they are even visible from most cities.
Today, Jupiter looks brighter than any star in the sky. Saturn is a little fainter, but still just as bright as the brightest stars, with a recognizable golden sheen.
Saturn will appear slightly above and to the right of Jupiter, and is even seen as close to the planet as some of its own moons, visible through binoculars or a telescope. Unlike the twinkling stars, both planets will maintain a constant brightness, easy to find on clear nights.
The event is observable from anywhere on Earth, as long as the sky is clear. The easiest to observe along the equator is becoming increasingly difficult to see further north.