This week, Jupiter and Earth will be the closest they have been in the last 59 years as the planet and its many moons will light up the night sky, according to NASA.
On Monday night, the gas giant will be especially bright because it is in opposition to Earth, meaning it will be on the opposite side of Earth from the sun, with all three being in perfect alignment. Jupiter is in opposition every 13 months, with the planet appearing its biggest and brightest in the night sky.
Now, this week, the planet will shine with a steady, silvery glow after it rises following the sun setting. Then, when it climbs noticeably higher in the east-southeast part of the sky, it will be its brightest.
But this opposition for Jupiter isn’t like any other, as it is also nearing its perihelion, the point in its 12-year orbit where it comes closest to the sun. This means we will see Jupiter as bright and as close as we ever will from Earth.
Those looking to stretch their astronomy muscles shouldn’t have an issue, as binoculars and telescopes will give a clear view of the solar system’s largest planet. However, the stronger the tool, the better results onlookers will get, NASA shared.
Those gazing into the night sky won’t only see the planet but also its moons. Adam Kobelski, a research astrophysicist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, shared that if Galileo could discover them in the 1600s, it should be no issue for the wannabe astronomers of today.
“With good binoculars, the banding (at least the central band) and three or four of the Galilean satellites (moons) should be visible,” Adam Kobelski, a research astrophysicist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, shared in a NASA blog. “It’s important to remember that Galileo observed these moons with 17th-century optics. One of the key needs will be a stable mount for whatever system you use.”
The show starts early, as at 10 p.m. EST on Sunday, Jupiter will approach Earth, being 367,413,405 miles away. This will allow the naked eye to see it in the sky, but with a powerful enough telescope, it will appear the same size as the moon does to the naked eye.
NASA shared in its blog post that the space agency is planning a further exploration of Jupiter with the Europa Clipper spacecraft. The current plan is to have it explore Jupiter’s moon Europa, which is known for its vast ocean beneath an icy shell.
The target launch for the Europa Clipper is no earlier than October 2024, when scientists will look to see if it could sustain life, NASA shared.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
Related
Related
Related
