Jupiter, Saturn closest visible alignment

For months, Saturn and Jupiter have appeared to be courting, as the giant celestial bodies have gradually drawn nearer in the night sky. Over the next two weeks, as their orbits align more closely, the planets will pull closer until they appear to be just a tenth of a degree apart. The encounter, known as a great conjunction, happens about every 20 years. But this one – arriving Dec. 21, 2020, the winter solstice is special. It will be the closest alignment of Saturn and Jupiter, the largest planets in our solar system, since 1623. But that conjunction was 13 degrees away from the sun, making it almost impossible to view from Earth. This one will be the closest visible encounter between the two giants since Middle Ages. Across the United States, the best view of the two planets coming into near-alignment will be just after sunset, in the southwestern portion of the sky. It will be a very elegant astronomical event to watch in the night sky. It is the rare astronomical event where you can appreciate the motion of the planets around the sun without being some kind of astronomer. Although they will appear to be close together – resembling a bright ball or a tipped-over snowman in the sky. In fact, they will be more than 400 million miles apart. Jupiter and Saturn will appear as two wandering stars that are kind of right on top of one another. On the days before and after Dec. 21, as soon as it gets dark outside, everybody should go outside and take a look.