2020 is coming to a close with a flurry of astronomical events including a couple of meteor showers, the winter solstice and this – a conjunction (alignment) of the planets Jupiter and Saturn.
On the evening of December 20th Jupiter will have yet to catch-up with Saturn and by the evening of December 21st it will have passed. Nevertheless, at dusk on December 21st these two giant planets will appear to the naked eye as the merging of two very bright stars into a single even more brilliant star. Under ideal viewing conditions this could be spectacular.
Planetary alignments are not uncommon yet for these two planets this is exceptionally rare considering how close the planets will appear. This is the first time the alignment will appear since the Middle Ages.
Some have referred to this event as The Christmas Star – a reference to the account of the birth of Jesus and the wise men following the Star of Bethlehem. It is entirely possible that the star the Magi followed in the Gospel of Matthew may have been a similar planetary conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter.
From my location on the peninsula the planets will become visible around 4:35 PM with the onset of dusk. I will have to look 16° above the SSW horizon. The planets will then gradually sink below the horizon setting 2 hours and 25 minutes after the Sun at 6:37 PM.
Both planets should be visible to the naked eye but will also fit within the field of view through a pair of binoculars or a telescope.
Fingers-crossed for good viewing
conditions as this won’t occur again until May of 2080.
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