Jupiter, Saturn merging in night sky, closest in centuries
December 18, 2020 10:23AM AKST
In this Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020 photo made available by NASA, Saturn, top, and Jupiter, below, are seen after sunset from Shenandoah National Park in Luray, Va. The two planets are drawing closer to each other in the sky as they head towards a “great conjunction” on Monday, Dec. 21, where the two giant planets will appear a tenth of a degree apart. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Jupiter and Saturn will merge in the night sky Monday, appearing closer than they have in centuries. The last time the two gas giants looked this close together was during Galileo’s time in the 17th century. But it occurred close to the sun and was hard to see. Jupiter and Saturn’s merger in the 13th century was considerably closer and in plain view. To see it Monday, go out a little after sunset and look to the southwest. Jupiter will be the brighter of the two. Despite appearances, they’ll actually be more than 450 million miles apart.
