Saturn and Jupiter are already visible in December's sky; the two planets have been moving closer to each other for much of 2020… A conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, on the other hand, is relatively rare: it only happens about once every 20 years. In fact, the 2020 great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn is exceptionally close. Near-Earth object 2020 SO: rotation and time-lapse – 01 Dec. 2020 This month’s Great Conjunction will be the closest encounter of the two largest planets in the solar system since 1623, despite Jupiter and Saturn passing close to each other every 20 years or so. The combination will bring a favourable time for you. The year 2020 ends with a special astronomical event: the closest great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 397 years. The "Great Conjunction" on Dec. 21, 2020 will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Jupiter and Saturn together through a telescope. The BIG SHIFT. After 2020, the next great conjunctions will occur on November 2, 2040 and April 7, 2060. Find out more in Graham's Sky & Telescope article, The 400-Year Rhythm of Great Conjunctions, co-authored with timeanddate.com CEO, Steffen Thorsen. ‘Christmas star’ 2020: 10 stunning photos as Saturn, Jupiter converge in ‘great conjunction’ By now you may have heard the buzz about Jupiter and Saturn aligning on the winter solstice, December 21, 2020. Celebrate the end of the year with the closest conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn for nearly 400 years and the annual Geminids meteor shower. If Jupiter partially obscures Saturn, the event is known as a transit. This is a […] Jupiter and Saturn form their next conjunction on December 21 of 2020 in the first degree of Aquarius, and so most of 2020 took place during the end of their cycle. In fact, the 2020 great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn is exceptionally close. The above figures are round numbers. But between December 16 and 25, they will become even cozier. Between 0 and 3000 CE, or Common Era, only seven conjunction were or will be closer than this one -- and two of those were too close to the sun to be seen without a telescope, according to Hartigan. In the Western Hemisphere, the Moon was closest to the two planets on December 16. Which planets are visible in the night sky from your location. The last time that the two planets were easily observable when separated by less than 0.1 degrees was almost 800 years ago, during the great conjunction of 1226. (In sidereal astrology this event occurs in the sign of Capricorn.) According to Christian lore, a bright light in the sky led the Three Wise Men to the location of Jesus's birth. The bright “star” is Jupiter. How to watch the 2020 conjunction on Dec. 21. Other theories aiming to explain this biblical phenomenon include a supernova explosion and a comet. If you're in New York or London, or along those latitudes, try to spot the conjunction right after sunset. At the great conjunction of 1623, Jupiter and Saturn were slightly less than 0.1 degrees apart. This is our Night Sky Map for New York City on December 16, about 45 minutes after sunset. ... Dec 21, 2020 at 11:57 PM . The pair of planets become visible at twilight, close to the southwestern horizon in the Northern Hemisphere, or the western horizon in the Southern Hemisphere. They set within a couple of hours or so, so it is important to have a clear view toward the horizon. For Aries, the conjunction will take place in the 10 th house, the house of Career and Profession. Jupiter and Saturn are much farther away than the other naked-eye planets. This event, which astrologers call The Great Conjunction… On extraordinarily rare occasions, a great conjunction is so close that Jupiter passes directly in front of Saturn. 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