The largest planet in the solar system Jupiter is set to come closest to the earth’s surface finally after 59 years.
At its farthest point, Jupiter is about 600 million miles away from Earth. It will reach as close as 367 million miles today, making it an event that no one should miss.
Even though the opposition between Jupiter and Saturn occurs once every 13 months, this time it was different because it was closer to Earth, making it bigger and brighter than any other time of the year. In 2129, 107 years from now, the planet will come this close to Earth again.
One revolution around the sun by Jupiter takes more than 11 years. It completes this revolution when it reaches a point on the sun’s opposite side that can be seen from Earth. Interestingly, Jupiter’s orbit will be in a unique configuration today, bringing it closer to Earth in 59 years.
This will happen as the opposite occurs when an astronomical object rises in the east and sets in the west, putting the object and the Sun on opposite sides of Earth from Earth’s surface.
EarthSky.com predicts that Jupiter will have an apparent magnitude of -2.9, making it one of the brightest objects in the night sky. To provide some context, the apparent magnitude of the full moon is -12.5.
Kobelski, a research astrophysicist at NASA stated in an official statement issued by the American Space Agency that it is essential to keep in mind that Galileo observed these moons using 17th-century optics. A stable mount for any system will be one of the most important requirements for viewing this. He also suggested using a bigger telescope to get a better look at Jupiter’s bands and Great Red Spot. These features would be more visible with filters in the green to the blue range and a telescope at least 4 inches in diameter.
Additionally, Kobleski stated that the views should be excellent for a few days before and following Monday. It ought to be one of the brightest objects in the night sky, if not the most so, along with the Moon.
