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Credit & Copyright: Tunc Tezel
(TWAN),
Onur Durma
Explanation:
During this northern summer Saturn and Jupiter were both near opposition,
opposite the Sun in planet Earth's sky.
Their paired retrograde
motion, seen about every 20 years, is followed
from 19 June through 28 August
in this panoramic composite as they wander
together between the stars in western Capricornus and eastern
Sagittarius.
But this December's skies find them drawing even closer together.
Jupiter and Saturn are now close, bright celestial beacons in the
west after sunset.
On solstice day December 21 they will reach their magnificent
20
year Great Conjunction.
Then the two largest worlds in
the Solar System will appear in
Earth's sky separated by only about 1/5 the apparent diameter of a Full Moon.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Saturn - Jupiter
Publications with words: Saturn - Jupiter
See also: