Google Doodle celebrates shortest day of the year with an animated graphic

Dec. 21:  Google on Monday celebrated Winter Solstice Day the shortest day and the longest night of the year with a homepage animated graphic doodle. Winter solstice usually takes place between December 19 and December 23 in the northern hemisphere. Today’s animated Doodle “celebrates the Northern Hemisphere’s first day of winter as well as this rare double planet sighting- or “Great Conjunction”- which can be viewed from anywhere around the globe!” It is believed that, after the solstice, the days get longer and the nights get shorter.

Google wrote, “As Earth’s Northern Hemisphere hunkers down for winter and its longest night of the year, it seems Jupiter and Saturn have decided to put on quite an unusual show for the world to see.” It is said that great conjunction occurs every 20 years and the last time the event was as easily visible in the sky as it will be for this winter solstice was nearly 800 years ago.

The December 21 Winter Solstice can be sighted in India at 03:32 pm, according to timeanddate.com. Skywatchers in North America, Central America, Europe, Asia and northern Africa can also view this winter solstice depending on the weather conditions. The conjunction is being called Christmas Star because though the planets will appear to be apart from one another, they will appear as one big star like the Star of Bethlehem which appeared in the eastern sky on the birth of Jesus Christ.

Skywatchers, you're in for a once-in-a-lifetime treat! Jupiter & Saturn are doing a planetary dance that will result in the Great Conjunction on Dec 21, just after sunset. Find out:

🤩 When and where to look up
📷 How to photograph the conjunction

Visit: https://t.co/SdQSLex2Ex pic.twitter.com/DkaB5XyO9B

— NASA (@NASA) December 20, 2020

Taking to Twitter, NASA tweeted, “Skywatchers, you’re in for a once-in-a-lifetime treat! Jupiter & Saturn are doing a planetary dance that will result in the Great Conjunction on Dec 21, just after sunset.”