Remember Monday Night's Treat in the Sky

Jupiter and Saturn will appear nearly as one planet, a celestial rarity
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 21, 2020 10:00 AM CST
Don't Forget to Peek Up at the Sky Monday Night
In this Dec. 13, 2020, photo, Saturn, top, and Jupiter, below, are seen after sunset from Shenandoah National Park in Luray, Va. They're closer now.   (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)

The 2020 winter solstice has arrived, and along with it a moment that sky watchers have been anticipating for a while. Jupiter and Saturn will be so close in the night sky that they'll be difficult to distinguish as separate planets, per CNN. This so-called Great Conjunction hasn't been so clearly visible to humans since the 17th century, and it's being called a "once-in-a-lifetime" event for those who want to take a look. To see it, look in the southwestern sky shortly after sunset, low on the horizon. "Saturn will be the smaller, fainter blob at Jupiter's upper right," per the AP. You'll likely need binoculars to see the pair as separate planets. A post at NASA has more historical context. (More Jupiter stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X