Alignement of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21, 2020

 On December 21, 2020, Jupiter and Saturn will have their closest encounter in over 400 years. It will also be the start of the winter solstice. But you don't care about that. You want to know about Jupiter and Saturn. 

Direction to Look at to See the Conjunction

The phenomenon is known as a conjunction. A conjunction occurs when planets appear incredibly close to one another in the sky because they line up with Earth in their respective orbits. During the first few weeks of December, Saturn and Jupiter have been getting closer. They can be if one looks southwest after sunset. 

When Jupiter and Saturn converge, it will be the first time since 1623, but it wasn't visible. The last time it was visible across the whole planet was 1226. This specific conjunction is called the "great conjunction" because of its proximity with Christmas and its rarity compared to other meetings. After all, Jupiter and Saturn share celestial coordinates once every twenty years. 

Nevertheless, don't forget to miss this fantastic and rare occurrence. According to a NASA statement, Jupiter and Saturn will be "thickness of dime held at arm's length". It is also possible that the conjunction on December 21 could produce a "winter star." This occurs when their lights coalesce and appear like a single point of reflected light with the naked eye. Don't forget to miss this event or you will have to wait till 2080 for the next one.

Render of "Winter Star"

Sources:

Urrutia, Doris Elin. “'Great Conjunction' of Jupiter and Saturn Will Form a 'Christmas Star' on the Winter Solstice.” Space.com, Space, 11 Dec. 2020, www.space.com/great-conjunction-jupiter-saturn-explained.