The night sky holds so much mystery. I mean, you can’t help but look up and wonder what’s really going on beyond the clouds?
As our curiosity has us imagining all sorts of things the sky is making some serious history this month.
In this case all of the answers are quite litterally in the stars.
There’s a special ‘Christmas Star’ that’s making it’s debut this December and you might want to add a telescope to your holiday wish list.
The first time in over 800 years Jupiter and Saturn will align in a way that is also known as ‘the great conjunction’. I’ve you’re an avid stargazer you might have noticed Jupiter and Saturn have been inching closer and closer since Summer 2020.
If you’re not already running outside and downloading a star guide app on your phone you might want to get started.
If you haven’t already been watching the sky lately, now is the perfect time to watch history unfold. Patrick Hartigan, an astronomer at Rice University told USA Today,
“You can watch [the planets] move which is super cool, because you’re actually seeing planets in orbit”
How incredible is that?! Even though this conjunction happens every 20 years, this year the two planets will be closer than they’ve been in 800 years!
The last time a conjunction like this happened was the Middle Ages on March 4, 1226. Yes, you read that right. Jupiter and Saturn will be the tenth degree from one another, which is about the width of a dime when you hold one out arms-length.
Although there that close from our viewpoint the two planets are actually 400 miles away from each other.
But, that’s still super close. This extremely rare sighting is worth making a date for. The special solstice is planned to happen December 21st, so don’t forget to put that in your calendar.
This unique star coined the name ‘Christmas Star’ and ‘Star of Bethlehem’ because of the bright light that emits when Jupiter and Saturn are at their closest point.
It’s also something that can only be observed from Earth (sorry aliens). The ‘Christmas Star’ couldn’t have come at a more perfect time this year, making the holidays a whole lot brighter.
Mark your calenders December 21st so you and your families can enjoy history this holiday season.
If you’re not ready to commit to a full-on telescope, you might want to look for some strong binoculars to really see the special star in full effect. You’ll want to look towards the southwest sky right after sunset. Jupiter and Saturn will be brighter than ever but not twinkling like other stars. These two planets will be pretty low in the sky so make sure to keep an eye out.
This kind of magic is something we all deserve this holiday.
Wishing upon a star has never seemed more fitting than for this brilliant solstice. So get out there and find the perfect stargazing spot. It’s time to end 2020 on the brightest note ever.
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