Paris, France.
Jupiter and Saturn, both larger planets of the solar system, will come as close as possible this Monday, called an astronomical phenomenon “Great Conjunction” and that it won’t happen again until these circumstances 2080.
After sunset, at 6:22 PM GMT, the two gas giants appears in the same field of view as one observation instrument, give the impression that they are touching, although in reality they are divorced for hundreds of millions of kilometers.
The visual approach between the two planets has already begun vyears months, and will reach its minimum distance this Monday, Winter solstice (a match from the calendar). In the end it will turn out that way two stars are one.
The Great Conjunction corresponds to ‘the time it takes for the of the planets to find comparable relative positions with respect to the earthFlorent Deleflie of the Paris Observatory told AFP.
Jupiter, the biggest, lasts 12 years when giving the back to the sun, Saturn, 29. And every two decades or so of the planets seem to get closer as we view the celestial sphere from the Country.
Belen star
In perspective effect, of the giants will seem glued, “with a distance of only six arc minutes between them, which is approximately one fifth of the angular diameter of the Luna ‘, Deleflie needs.
At first glance, zooming in gives the impression that there is one double planet, since “are Jupiter and Saturn two very bright starss, “he continues. The two planets will get so close that they will appear to observers” like a single bright star rather than two planets. “
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The phenomenon popularly known as the ‘Belen star’ It will be on display in its entirety for about an hour this Monday.
The last Great combination took place in 2000, but to find a distance as small as Monday’s, you have to go back to 1623. And a similar phenomenon will not happen again … until March 15, 2080.