Great conjunctions don’t come along every night, and events like this one happen once in a lifetime.
Jupiter and Saturn are set to align in the night sky next week in what astronomers call a great conjunction – what some people this year are calling a “Christmas star” – the closest such event in nearly 400 years.
The two planets may appear as a bright point of light when viewed with the naked eye, a sight some stargazers describe as an elongated star or double planet. Binoculars should be enough to show a separation between the two, while a telescope will reveal Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s belts and both planets’ moons, all in the same view.
The astronomical event will take place on Monday, Dec. 21, the first day of winter. Jim Todd, director of space science education at OMSI, said those in the Portland area will want to head outside just after sunset at 4:30 p.m., when Jupiter and Saturn will be low in the sky.
The planets will set below the horizon quickly, Todd said, so a good view of the southwestern horizon is necessary, and people will need to look skyward in time to catch it.
As with all astronomical events in fall and winter, cloud cover will determine whether those of us in the Pacific Northwest will actually get a view. The National Weather Service is currently forecasting clouds and a chance of rain Monday in the Portland area.
The winter solstice is a spiritually significant time for the great conjunction, as is its proximity to Christmas. Some are referring to the planetary alignment as a “Christmas star,” in reference to the Star of Bethlehem from the biblical story of the birth of Jesus. Although the two planets may appear as one point of light, they will in fact remain separate.
While great conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn happen roughly once every 20 years, it’s extremely rare to get a view this good. This year’s great conjunction will be the closest since 1623, and the closest observable great conjunction since 1226. The next closest great conjunction is expected to take place in 2080.
Most planetary alignments are simply called conjunctions, but astronomers refer to the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn – the two largest planets in our solar system – as a “great conjunction.” While the two planets will only be .1 degrees apart in our sky, they will in fact be 455,762,323 miles apart, Todd said.
The 2020 great junction of Jupiter and Saturn will be the closest since 1623.
--Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB
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