TODAY: The ‘Great’ Jupiter-Saturn Conjunction, and the story of the three Wise Men from the East

PHOTOGRAPH: Saturn, top, and Jupiter, below. The two planets are drawing closer  to each other in the sky as they head towards a “great conjunction”  tonight, where the two giant planets will appear a tenth   of a degree apart. Credits: NASA/ Bill Ingall

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If you are a night sky watcher, you will have noticed two bright objects getting closer with each passing day this December. The two are actually planets Jupiter and Saturn doing what scientists call a planetary dance.  

It all climaxes today December 21, when they get closest in what will result in the 'Great Conjunction',  also known popularly as the “Christmas Star.” To the human eye, it will seem they are aligined, yet in reality, millions of miles separate them.

It will be the closest they have appeared in nearly 400 years, and also nearly 800 years since the alignment of Saturn and Jupiter occurred at night, as it will for 2020. This will allowe nearly everyone around the world, including many parts in Africa with clear skies tonight, to witness this “great conjunction.”

According to the BBC, the timing of this conjunction, as the celestial event is known, has caused some to suggest it may have been the source of a bright light in the sky 2,000 years ago.

That became known as the Star of Bethlehem, that guided the three wise men (the Magi) who were said to be astronomers and astrologists from the East, to the birth of Jesus around this time 2,000 years ago

History of the Conjunction

According to NASA's website, in 1610, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei pointed his telescope to the night sky, discovering the four moons of Jupiter – Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. In that same year, Galileo also discovered a strange oval surrounding Saturn, which later observations determined to be its rings. These discoveries changed how people understood the far reaches of our solar system.

Thirteen years later, in 1623, the solar system’s two giant planets, Jupiter and Saturn, traveled together across the sky. Jupiter caught up to and passed Saturn, in an astronomical event known as a “Great Conjunction.”  

“You can imagine the solar system to be a racetrack, with each of the planets as a runner in their own lane and the Earth toward the center of the stadium,” said Henry Throop, astronomer in the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “From our vantage point, we’ll be able to be to see Jupiter on the inside lane, approaching Saturn all month and finally overtaking it on December 21.”

According to NASA, the planets regularly appear to pass each other in the solar system, with the positions of Jupiter and Saturn being aligned in the sky about once every 20 years. Tonight, the planets will be easy to see with the unaided eye by looking toward the southwest just after sunset.

📌  NASA TIPS- To see this phenomenon, here’s what to do: 

✅ Find a spot with an unobstructed view of the sky, such as a field or park. Jupiter and Saturn are bright, so they can be seen even from most cities.

✅ An hour after sunset, look to the southwestern sky. Jupiter will look like a bright star and be easily visible. Saturn will be slightly fainter and will appear slightly above and to the left of Jupiter until December 21, when Jupiter will overtake it and they will reverse positions in the sky.

✅ The planets can be seen with the unaided eye, but if you have binoculars or a small telescope, you may be able to see Jupiter’s four large moons orbiting the giant planet.

📌 NASA TIPS- How to Photograph the Conjunction

✅ Saturn and Jupiter are easy to see without special equipment, and can be photographed easily on DSLR cameras and many cell phone cameras. Here are a few tips and tricks:

✅ These planets are visible in the early evening, and you’ll have about 1-2 hours from when they are visible, to when they set. A photo from the same location can look completely different just an hour later!

✅ Using a tripod will help you hold your camera steady while taking longer exposures. If you don’t have a tripod, brace your camera against something – a tree, a fence, or a car can all serve as a tripod for a several-second exposure.

✅ The crescent Moon will pass near Jupiter and Saturn a few days before the conjunction. Take advantage of it in your composition!

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SOURCE: NASA 
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