Jupiter and Saturn will converge in the sky Monday night (December 21st), appearing closer to one another than they have since Galileo was there to see it in the 17th century.

Astronomers say so-called conjunctions between the two largest planets in our solar system aren’t particularly rare. Jupiter passes its neighbor Saturn in their respective laps around the sun every 20 years.

But the one coming up is rare as Jupiter and Saturn will be just one-tenth of a degree apart from our perspective. They should be easily visible around the world a little after sunset as long as the weather doesn’t interfere.

Combine it with the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the longest night of the year and this holiday spectacle promises to be a very unique event.

It will be the closest Jupiter-Saturn pairing since July 1623, when the two planets appeared a little nearer. This conjunction was almost impossible to see, however, because of its closeness to the sun.

Considerably closer and in plain view was the March 1226 conjunction of the two planets when Genghis Khan was still conquering Asia. Monday’s conjunction will be the closest pairing that's visible since then.

To see it, be ready shortly after sunset Monday, looking to the southwest fairly low on the horizon. Saturn will be the smaller, fainter blob at Jupiter’s upper right. Binoculars will be needed to separate the two planets.

Despite appearances, Jupiter and Saturn will actually be more than 450 million miles (730 million kilometers) apart. Earth, meanwhile, will be 550 million miles (890 million kilometers) from Jupiter.

A telescope will not only capture Jupiter and Saturn in the same field of view, but even some of their brightest moons.

The next super-close conjunction event? March 15, 2080.


Have you seen it yet? Are you looking at it tonight? Let us know in the comments below.

WRITTEN BY Pedigo
EDITED BY Silek