Great combination of Jupiter and Saturn captured in stunning photos from around the world

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Jupiter and Saturn, the two largest planets in our solar system, were visibly closer together Monday night than they have been in 800 years – marking an extremely rare celestial event known as the ‘great combination. ”

The conjunction occurs when the orbits of the two planets align every 20 years, but the event is not always visible, and the planets usually do not get as close to each other as on December 21.

This time Jupiter and Saturn were only 0.1 degrees apart – less than the diameter of a full moon.

The planets were so close that, from some perspectives, they seemed to overlap completely, creating a rare “double planet” effect. However, while the planets appeared to be very, very close from Earth, in reality they are still hundreds of millions of miles apart.

The event happened to coincide with the winter solstice and the week of Christmas, but it can happen in any season.

If you missed the spectacle or if your sky seemed cloudy on Monday evening, don’t worry – the planets will still appear extremely close together in the night sky for the next few weeks and dedicated astrophotographers are sharing their best photos of the night on social media .

Santa Barbara, California

Jupiter and Saturn form a 'great conjunction'
Jupiter (L) and Saturn will appear about one-tenth of a degree apart in Santa Barbara, California on December 21, 2020.

Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images


Los Angeles, California

US ASTRONOMY
Planets Jupiter (L) and Saturn will be seen from the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California on December 21, 2020.

PATRICK T. FALLON / AFP via Getty Images


Melbourne, Australia

Guatemala

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Jupiter and Saturn are visible before the great conjunction, above an erupting volcano in Guatemala.

Francisco Sojuel / NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day


New York City, New York

Crescent Moon sets behind the Statue of Liberty in New York City
Saturn and Jupiter sat behind the Statue of Liberty prior to their conjunction, on December 17, 2020 in New York City.

Gary Hershorn / Getty Images


Texas

Alborz Mountains, Iran

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A photographer captures a triple conjunction of the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn from Iran’s Alborz Mountains after sunset on Dec. 17, 2020, prior to the great conjunction.

Alireza Vafa / NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day


Koh Chang, Thailand

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The Milky Way with Saturn and Jupiter, viewed from Koh Chang, Thailand.

Chakarin Wattanamongkol / Getty Images


Brill, England

Jupiter and Saturn converge in the night sky for the great combination
Jupiter and Saturn converge in the night sky, above the sails of the Brill Windmill, on December 20, 2020 in Brill, England.

Jim Dyson / Getty Images


Colorado Springs, Colorado

Kuwait City, Kuwait

TOPSHOT KUWAIT ASTRONOMY
A photo taken on December 21, 2020 in the al-Salmi district, a desert region 120 km west of Kuwait City, shows the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.

YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP via Getty Images


How to view the great conjunction

The great conjunction shines brightly shortly after sunset, low in the southwestern sky as seen from the Northern Hemisphere, NASA said.

Throughout December and early January, skywatchers can easily see the two planets with the naked eye. They are so bright that they can even be seen from most cities.

Jupiter currently appears brighter than any star in the sky. Saturn is slightly fainter, but still as bright as the brightest stars, with a recognizable golden glow.

Saturn will appear slightly above and to the right of Jupiter and even appear as close to the planet as some of its own moons visible with binoculars or a telescope. Unlike stars, which twinkle, both planets will maintain a constant brightness, easily found on clear nights.

The event is observable anywhere on Earth, provided the sky is clear. It is easiest to see along the equator, and more and more difficult to see further north.

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