A planetary conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn will be the closest to Earth since medieval times.
Just in time for the holidays, December 2020 is set to be a particularly bright dark night as two planets move closer together for the first time in hundreds of years.
NBC News notes that the cosmic occurrence, known as The Great Conjunction of 2020, will light up the darkest day of the year when Jupiter and Saturn appear close together on the winter solstice.
Astronomers have referred to the occurrence as the “Christmas Star,” a term that stems from the Christian Bible’s Star of Bethlehem. Some believe that the Star of Bethlehem could have been a planetary conjunction between Venus and Jupiter about 2,000 years ago.
While Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions occur every two decades, the last one happened close to the sun, making it difficult to see. The forthcoming 2020 conjunction will be the closest to Earth since 1623, and closest observable since 1226.
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"Christmas Star," not seen in 800 years, will light up on longest night of the year https://t.co/oSnrkBtNpQ pic.twitter.com/ppRWf4bfkG
— The Hill (@thehill) December 11, 2020
With my luck there will be bad weather in my neck of the woods & I won’t be able to see it. Around these parts, clear skies from December till March are rare.
But I would love to see it. Perhaps there will be photos posted on the internet.
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