When stars align ...
A construction company smashed our doddering car flat by dropping a pallet of gardening materials on it (true story! We’re available for Farmers Insurance commercials!) so this weekend was a whirlwind of car shopping. We purchased our first hybrid, which was very exciting. (We asked for an armored upgrade, but unfortunately one wasn’t on offer.)
At any rate, that’s why there wasn’t a newsletter this weekend.
Still, I couldn’t let this momentous event go by without a mention: the stars are truly aligning.
Tonight is the "great conjunction," during which Saturn and Jupiter will be in their closest proximity on the night sky in nearly 800 years.
According to NASA:
The planets regularly appear to pass each other in the solar system, with the positions of Jupiter and Saturn being aligned in the sky about once every 20 years.
What makes this year’s spectacle so rare, then? It’s been nearly 400 years since the planets passed this close to each other in the sky, and nearly 800 years since the alignment of Saturn and Jupiter occurred at night, as it will for 2020, allowing nearly everyone around the world to witness this “great conjunction.”
The NASA website gives instructions on how to see the great conjunction with the naked eye:
For those who would like to see this phenomenon for themselves, here’s what to do:
Find a spot with an unobstructed view of the sky, such as a field or park. Jupiter and Saturn are bright, so they can be seen even from most cities.
An hour after sunset, look to the southwestern sky. Jupiter will look like a bright star and be easily visible. Saturn will be slightly fainter and will appear slightly above and to the left of Jupiter until December 21, when Jupiter will overtake it and they will reverse positions in the sky.
The planets can be seen with the unaided eye, but if you have binoculars or a small telescope, you may be able to see Jupiter’s four large moons orbiting the giant planet.
If you’d prefer to watch with telescopes & experts (as I would! I have no idea where I’m looking), the Carnegie Observatory has a Zoom party and a YouTube party scheduled. They ask that folks register to participate in the Zoom call. Both the Zoom and the YouTube parties start at 5 pm Pacific.
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I saw the planets last evening!